There was no immediate official confirmation from the Mexican government at the time of the reports. However, newspapers such as El Universal and Reforma, as well as broadcaster Televisa, reported that Oseguera had been killed during a security operation.

Oseguera had a $15 million bounty on his head and was considered one of the most wanted drug traffickers in both Mexico and the United States.

A Major Figure in Drug Trafficking

The reported killing marks one of the most significant blows to organised crime in Mexico since the capture of Joaquin Guzman, known as “El Chapo,” and Ismael Zambada, founders of the Sinaloa cartel. Both men are currently serving prison sentences in the United States.

Oseguera’s cartel, formed in 2009, grew into one of Mexico’s most violent and powerful drug trafficking organisations. According to the US Justice Department, the group was responsible for trafficking cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States.

US authorities formally designated the cartel as a terrorist organisation, underscoring its global criminal reach.

Violent Fallout

Ahead of the reported killing, gunmen set vehicles ablaze in the western state of Jalisco, blocking major roads in what appeared to be a tactic aimed at obstructing security forces during the operation. Similar incidents were reported in neighbouring Michoacán, where the cartel also maintains influence.

Such coordinated road blockades are a known strategy used by criminal groups to hinder law enforcement movements when high-profile targets are being pursued.

If officially confirmed, Oseguera’s death would represent a major development in Mexico’s long-running war against drug cartels, though past crackdowns have shown that leadership changes do not always dismantle the underlying criminal networks.