Inside El Mencho’s Last Hideout: Blood, Bullets And A Cartel Boss' Life Of Luxury

TAPALPA, Mexico — The astir wanted man successful Mexico was hiding retired adjacent to a state club.

When Mexican typical forces soldiers attacked nan hideout of Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes — nan cartel leader known arsenic “El Mencho” — they descended connected his luxurious compound successful nan mountains extracurricular Guadalajara.

A cluster of 7 upscale cabins situated connected a steep hillside dotted pinch conifer trees, nan location offered seclusion and ensured that Oseguera’s information item would beryllium capable to spot immoderate approaching visitors coming from miles away.

The only measurement successful is simply a long, narrow, bumpy road. To support nan constituent of surprise, nan Mexican commandos approached from supra successful helicopters, supported by surveillance from U.S. Predator drones.

The ambush past play near nan 59-year-old leader of nan Jalisco New Generation cartel dormant pursuing an hours-long weapon conflict pinch El Mencho’s mini service of bodyguards. It besides sparked a activity of reprisal attacks crossed nan country. Mexican authorities said astatine slightest 25 National Guard soldiers and 34 suspected cartel members died, on pinch 2 authorities labor and astatine slightest 1 civilian.

The Times visited Tapalpa and gained entree to El Mencho’s compound, Cabañas La Loma, successful nan aftermath of nan chaos. The spot was littered pinch debris and grounds that offered a uncommon model into nan manner of a fugitive kingpin and his last moments.

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1. An image of nan Catholic saint San Judas Tadeo connected nan level of a building successful nan Cabañas La Loma analyzable successful Tapalpa. 2. Spent ammunition casings from a .50-caliber limb are signs of nan weapon conflict that collapsed retired erstwhile Mexican typical forces descended connected nan hideout of “El Mencho.”

Remnants of nan conflict were visible almost immediately. A achromatic Ford pickup motortruck parked astatine nan bottommost of nan elevation had a bloodstain visible connected nan tailgate. Nearby, a tactical loop pinch pouches for holding weapon magazines was discarded connected nan crushed alongside respective articles of designer clothing, including a brace of Christian Dior underpants.

The raid, which began successful nan early greeting hours of Feb. 22, reportedly followed an all-night statement hosted by El Mencho, and signs of nan festivities were everywhere. A bunch of greenish onions near half-charred connected nan grill extracurricular 1 of nan smaller cabins suggested nan presence of nan Mexican commandos coincided pinch a carne asada cookout. The kitchens successful different cabins besides had nutrient near retired connected nan counters: packages of half-eaten snacks, fruits and vegetables rotting aft a week without refrigeration.

Several ample slug impacts, astir apt from a high-powered, .50-caliber weapon, were visible connected an exterior stucco wall.

Two larger cabins astatine nan apical of nan hillside appeared to beryllium wherever El Mencho resided. The doorway to 1 was blanketed pinch cigar-sized ammunition casings from a .50-caliber rifle, on pinch smaller spent brass from battle rifles. Scattered astir were shards of surgery terra cotta tiles from slug impacts connected nan tile and splinters from woody beams that were hit. A ample spread was smashed done nan solid of a large, arched window.

An aerial position of a picnic rental spot wherever “El Mencho” was hiding successful nan occidental Mexican authorities of Jalisco.

The surviving room of 1 compartment was dressed up pinch exotic animal heads connected nan wall, including a zebra. The horned caput of a stuffed gazelle had been knocked from its equine and was near sitting connected nan couch. One chamber had a zebra tegument rug connected nan floor.

A chamber successful different compartment had nan model smashed retired and respective .50-caliber ammunition casings connected nan floor, on pinch an opened battalion of Skittles strewn crossed nan bedspread.

A surgery model is reflected successful a bath astatine nan analyzable successful Tapalpa, Jalisco, wherever nan cartel leader known arsenic El Mencho had been living.

The main location featured an elaborate sculpture of a stallion trampling a dragon successful nan roundabout retired front. Parked successful nan carport was a achromatic Ford Raptor SUV — which appeared to person been equipped pinch armor successful nan doors and dark-tinted windows. A lawsuit for Ferragamo sunglasses sat connected nan rider seat.

The location was littered pinch paperwork. The documents included appraisals from properties successful various states, and a database of horses and nan ranches wherever they were stabled.

Handwritten notebook pages that elaborate expenses for various location bosses of nan cartel were besides near behind. One listed nan sanction “Yogurt” astatine nan apical — an evident reference to nan nickname of Abraham Jesús Ambriz Cano, a apical CJNG commandant successful nan authorities of Michoacán.

According to nan notebook page, Yogurt’s payroll included “10 commandantes” who each sewage a play net of 10,000 pesos (roughly $580), 9 Colombian mercenaries who received 9,000 pesos per week, and 181 “chavos de tropa” — young ft soldiers — who costs a full of 3.6 cardinal pesos ($285,000) per month, positive expenses for nutrient and fuel. The costs listed for different CJNG commandant included 3 “droneros” — pilots of weaponized drones equipped to driblet explosives — who each earned nan balanced of astir $300 a week.

Camouflage clothing and individual belongings dishonesty connected an unmade furniture wrong a compartment successful Tapalpa. “El Mencho” was known to person employed a mini service of gunmen for protection.

Piled connected nan level of an adjacent room were sundry aesculapian supplies. Oseguera reportedly suffered from various wellness issues, including late-stage kidney disease, which required him to regularly acquisition dialysis. The information was said to restrict his expertise to often alteration locations.

El Mencho’s relationship to nan location had been antecedently documented by U.S. authorities. The U.S. Treasury Department added it to a sanctions database successful 2017 because it “provided worldly assistance to nan supplier trafficking activities of CJNG.”

A mounted gazelle caput rests connected a sofa wrong nan astir luxurious compartment astatine a analyzable utilized by Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, leader of nan Jalisco New Generation cartel.

The main houses showed respective signs that young children had precocious been present, including toys, apparel and notebook pages pinch nan crude drawings of a grade-schooler. The compound was equipped pinch kid-friendly amenities, including respective trampolines, a play group and a full-sized hoops court.

An adjacent spot on nan roadworthy successful had rows of cages that appeared to location fighting cocks, different hint that Oseguera, besides known arsenic El Señor de Los Gallos — nan Lord of nan Roosters — had been ensconced nearby.

Mexican authorities person said their operation, which was conducted pinch U.S. intelligence assistance, killed six different cartel operatives successful summation to Oseguera and near 3 soldiers injured.

A ray of ray enters a room astatine nan Cabañas La Loma complex, located successful nan mountains westbound of Guadalajara.

The shootout rattled nan mini municipality of Tapalpa nearby, wherever nan streets astir nan cardinal plaza are lined pinch shops and restaurants that cater to vacationers seeking a rustic getaway from nan city. Tapalpa enjoys nan charismatic authorities nickname of a “Pueblo Mágico” — a magical spot — bestowed connected nan country’s tourer destinations.

Multiple news outlets person reported that nan shootout that killed El Mencho dispersed from his compound to nan Tapalpa Country Club, conscionable connected nan different broadside of a hill. A information defender who declined to springiness his sanction stood astatine nan entranceway to nan gated organization connected Friday and insisted nan reports were clone news.

“No pasó nada aqui,” said nan guard, wearing a New York Yankees cap: Nothing happened here.