Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, widely known as “El Mencho” and regarded as Mexico’s most wanted drug lord, has reportedly been killed during a military operation, according to multiple local media outlets.

Mexican newspapers El Universal and Reforma, along with broadcaster Televisa, reported that security forces neutralized the fugitive cartel leader on Sunday.

However, as of press time, there was no official confirmation from the Mexican government regarding his death.

Oseguera headed the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), one of the most violent and influential drug trafficking groups in Mexico.

The United States had placed a $15 million bounty on him, reflecting his status as one of the most sought-after criminals on both sides of the border.

If confirmed, his death would mark one of the most significant blows to organized crime in Mexico since the arrests of Joaquín Guzmán, known as “El Chapo,” and Ismael Zambada, key figures in the Sinaloa Cartel. Both men are currently serving prison sentences in the United States.

Ahead of reports of Oseguera’s killing, violence erupted in the western state of Jalisco, where armed persons set vehicles ablaze and blocked major roads, a tactic commonly used by cartels to disrupt security operations targeting high-profile figures.

The unrest reportedly spread to neighboring Michoacán, another stronghold of the CJNG.

Founded in 2009, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel rapidly expanded into one of Mexico’s most dominant criminal organizations.

According to the United States Department of Justice, the group has been responsible for trafficking cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States.

U.S. authorities have also designated the cartel as a terrorist organization.