A major operation by Mexico’s Navy special forces has led to the arrest of Audias Flores Silva, a high-ranking member of the Jalisco Nueva Generacion Cartel.
The operation took place in the state of Nayarit, north of Guadalajara, and was confirmed by Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch.
Authorities say Flores Silva was one of the cartel’s most influential regional leaders, particularly along Mexico’s Pacific coast. He was also seen as a potential successor to cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera.
He was wanted in Mexico under an arrest warrant, while U.S. authorities had requested his extradition and offered up to $5 million for information leading to his capture.
The arrest followed a coordinated operation involving elite naval units. Flores Silva faces serious charges in the United States, including international drug trafficking—particularly cocaine and heroin—as well as weapons-related offenses. He had also been designated by the U.S. Treasury as an international drug trafficker.
This is not his first encounter with the law; he previously served a five-year sentence for similar crimes before returning to criminal activity.
The CJNG, founded in 2009, is considered one of the most powerful and violent drug trafficking organizations in Mexico today.
