Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Mexico Captures CJNG Lieutenant ‘El Jardinero’ in Navy Operation

The intelligence-led raid targets a possible successor after El Mencho’s death, raising short-term risks of local violence.

Cette photo publiée par la Marine mexicaine montre Audias Flores Silva en état d'arrestation, dans l'Etat de Nayarit le 27 avril 2026

Overview

  • Mexican naval special forces arrested Audias Flores Silva, known as El Jardinero, in Nayarit without shots fired.
  • The capture, announced Monday, followed 19 months of surveillance and information sharing with U.S. agencies.
  • Officials said the United States is seeking his extradition after a $5 million reward was offered for his capture.
  • Authorities said he was found hiding in an evacuation duct as his security detail scattered, after a deployment that used four helicopters and more than 500 troops.
  • In a separate action the same day, Tamaulipas authorities detained Alexander Benavides Flores, or R9, prompting brief cartel roadblocks in Reynosa that were later cleared without reported casualties.