Mexican cartel figure arrested in a ditch

Mexican federal forces have captured Audias Flores Silva, an alleged commander of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and a possible successor to Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the cartel’s leader who died during a military operation to apprehend him in February.

At the time of his capture, Flores Silva – aka El Jardinero (“The Gardener”) – had an arrest warrant against him in Mexico and was wanted by the United States for drug-related crimes.

CNN has contacted the Attorney General’s Office of Mexico to find out the details of the current charge against him and whether he has legal representation.

The arrest, along with the capture of another suspected CJNG operative known as El Güero Conta, comes at a delicate time for Mexico. The nation is under scrutiny over security concerns ahead of the World Cup and facing pressure from the US to crack down harder on cartels.

Mexican security forces surrounded a cabin in the Nayarit community of El Mirador – about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of the tourist city of Puerto Vallarta, in the neighboring state of Jalisco – where Flores Silva was being protected by a security detail made up of around 30 trucks and more than 60 armed men, according to the Mexican Navy.

“The operation was carried out surgically, without the need to fire a single shot, with no deaths, injuries, or collateral damage,” the Navy said.

Videos shared on social media by Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch show aerial shots of the arrest, with helicopters flying over the area during the deployment.

The Mexican Navy indicated that the operation was the result of 19 months of surveillance and involved more than 500 personnel, six helicopters, and intelligence and reconnaissance aircraft.

Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles, Mexico’s Secretary of the Navy, said the operation began in October 2024, “when the Mexican Navy activated intelligence efforts focused on a priority target (Flores Silva) linked to one of the country’s main criminal organizations (the CJNG). From that moment on, a discreet and sustained systematic follow-up was carried out, based on field intelligence, intelligence gathering, and international cooperation.”

Audias Flores Silva, also known as Gabriel Raigosa Plascencia, had numerous aliases and in addition to El Jardinero was also known as “Commander,” “Bravo 2,” “Audi” and “Boss Killer.”