Summary
U.S. and Mexican authorities say coordinated surveillance tracked a meeting that led them to a remote forest cabin where Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio “Mencho” Oseguera was believed to be hiding. That tip set in motion a joint operation that ended in a deadly confrontation on 23 February 2026.
How the intelligence unfolded
Officials describe a multi-pronged tracking effort that combined electronic monitoring, signal interception, traditional field reconnaissance and shared data analysis. Rather than penetrating the inner circle directly, investigators followed a close associate — a woman who met with the suspect — and used her communications and travel patterns to triangulate the cabin’s location. Sources say that surveillance of this intermediary provided the decisive lead when direct access to the principal target proved impossible.
Planning the operation
With a consolidated intelligence picture, planners synchronized timelines and rehearsed entry and extraction routes to minimize civilian risk and preserve evidence. Real-time exchanges between U.S.