Mexican special forces have apprehended Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero,” in the western state of Nayarit. He is a significant commander within the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), as announced by Security Minister Omar García Harfucci on Monday.
Flores served as a regional leader overseeing a portion of CJNG’s territory along Mexico’s Pacific coast. He was viewed as a potential successor to Nemesio Oseguera, also known as “El Mencho,” who led the cartel and was killed in a security operation back in February.
Security forces surrounded a cabin in El Mirador, roughly 19 miles north of Puerto Vallarta, with about 30 pickup trucks and more than 60 armed personnel involved, according to a statement from the Mexican Navy, which orchestrated the operation.
Flores’ bodyguards attempted to flee as a distraction but were later discovered hiding in a drainage ditch.
“The operation was executed with surgical precision, and no shots were fired,” stated the Navy.
A video shared by García Harfucci on social media displayed aerial footage of the operation, showing a helicopter above during the arrest. The operation reportedly took 19 months and involved over 500 soldiers, six helicopters, and several planes, as per the Navy’s account.
A Mexican security official, wishing to remain anonymous, mentioned that the navy utilized information from U.S. authorities, including aerial surveillance, to carry out the arrest.
It remains unclear whether Flores will be charged in Mexico; however, García Harfucci noted that U.S. authorities are seeking his extradition and have placed a $5 million bounty on his capture.
On the same day, Mexican officials reported the arrest of Cesar Alejandro N., nicknamed “El Güero Conta,” identified as Flores’ main money launderer.
“Bigger” than El Mencho
Carlos Olivo, a former DEA assistant special agent and expert on CJNG, stated that Flores is a “key figure,” asserting that his arrest could have a more substantial effect on CJNG operations than the removal of El Mencho.
Mexican authorities have described Flores as the central figure in the cartel’s operations, overseeing a network of drug laboratories, smuggling routes, and distribution channels within the United States.
The security landscape in Mexico has undergone significant changes due to mounting pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened unilateral military action if he believes Mexico isn’t doing enough to combat cartels.
Previously, the Trump administration linked the threat of tariffs to perceived inadequacies in tackling fentanyl trafficking and immigration issues, amidst ongoing reviews of the free trade agreement among the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
“The arrest of a key leader of the violent CJNG on Monday signals an important advancement in the fight against illicit profits from fentanyl that fuel violence in our communities,” commented U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson on social media.
In 2021, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Flores as a “serious foreign drug trafficker,” following an indictment on charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin.
This latest arrest adds to the challenges facing Mexican drug cartels after El Mencho’s murder. García Harfucci has made it a personal mission to address cartel violence, having previously accused El Mencho of orchestrating an assassination attempt that resulted in the deaths of two of his bodyguards in 2020.
Flores was among several high-ranking regional leaders believed to be poised to take control of the cartel.
As Mexico prepares to co-host this summer’s FIFA World Cup with the United States and Canada, the country’s security situation is under heightened scrutiny.
