The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is increasingly asserting itself as the leading cartel in Mexican drug trafficking and its leader, known as Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, is overtaking the Sinaloa Cartel’s “El Chapo” in relevance.
CJNG is an offshoot of the Sinaloa Cartel. Sinaloa Cartel leader Ignacio Coronel told Oscar Orlando “El Lobo” Nava Valencia of the Milenio Cartel that should he die – which he did at the hands of Mexican authorities in 2010 – El Lobo should take over his part of the Sinaloa Cartel. El Lobo ended up behind bars so the organization fractured, according to InSight Crime.
With El Lobo in prison, his Milenio Cartel – which handled the accounting for much of the Sinaloa Cartel – disintegrated into two groups. The two sides become known as “La Resistencia” – The Resistance – and “Los Torcidos” – The Twisted Ones – according to InSight Crime.
Ultimately, The Twisted Ones prevailed in taking over the drug trade of Jalisco State, which is in the country’s southwest along the Pacific coast, and became known as CJNG. The cartel has been expanding quickly and the Mexican Attorney General’s Office stated March 23the group is now in Baja California State in Mexico which borders California.
CJNG is looking to make a name for itself not only through its size but also through its tactics. As reported by The Daily Beast, “back in 2011 the group slaughtered 35 members of a rival gang, including 12 women, and dumped the bodies on an interstate highway at rush hour.” Breitbart’s Cartel Chronicles reported in May, 2015, the cartel took down a Mexican military chopper with a rocket launcher.
Other than engaging in gruesome violence, CJNG has also employed creative measures to get new members. CJNG set up a fake security services firm and advertised on fliers it was looking to hire people with police or military backgrounds. The recruitment scam was based out of Puerto Vallarta and Jalisco State authorities took down the operation March 9 by arresting 13 people, one of whom was an American woman.
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