Mexican forces pulled cartel boss Audias Flores Silva from a Nayarit roadside ditch in a surprise April raid. The operation unfolded on April 27, 2026, when Mexican Navy special forces closed in on the 45-year-old fugitive.
Flores Silva, who went by the nickname The Gardener, had risen to become second-in-command of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. He previously handled security for the organization's slain leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, who was killed in February 2026.
Authorities say Flores Silva directed CJNG operations across Nayarit, Jalisco, and Zacatecas. The United States had offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture.
A federal grand jury in the U.S. expanded charges against him on May 14, 2026. Prosecutors added methamphetamine trafficking and money laundering conspiracy counts to an earlier 2020 indictment that covered cocaine and heroin trafficking.
"Jardinero believed he would assume control of the violent foreign terrorist organization CJNG following the death of El Mencho. He was wrong."
Terrance Cole, the DEA administrator, made the statement following the grand jury action. CBS News, AP News, and the Washington Post reported details of the arrest and updated charges drawn from court records and law enforcement statements.
The capture removes a key figure who had positioned himself to lead the cartel after El Mencho's death. U.S. authorities continue to target remaining CJNG operatives involved in cross-border drug shipments.
The ongoing operations highlight the continued cooperation between Mexican and U.S. law enforcement agencies in combating organized crime. This arrest marks a significant blow to the cartel's leadership structure. Additional details from the investigation reveal extensive networks used for smuggling operations across the border.
