Who was El Mencho, co-founder of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel

El Mencho, who was killed on Sunday by Mexican special forces, was the co-founder and leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), a gang that in recent years had become the country’s most powerful criminal organisation. Based in the state of Jalisco, the cartel is known in Mexico for its displays of ultraviolence and its big, military-style arsenal.

It has been one of the most aggressive in its attacks on the military – including on helicopters – and is a pioneer in launching explosives from drones and installing mines; an effort to capture El Mencho ended badly in 2015 when cartel gang members shot down an army helicopter with a rocket launcher.

Originally from Aguililla in Michoacan, El Mencho had been involved in drug trafficking since the 1990s.

Mexico, Jalisco

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