The Mexican Navy on Monday detained Audias Flores Silva, an alleged high-ranking member of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) who was considered a possible successor to slain cartel leader Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes.

Flores, known as “El Jardinero” (The Gardener), was detained in Nayarit, authorities said. The 45-year-old was wanted in Mexico on homicide charges. A man identified as his “financial operator” was arrested by the Mexican Army and National Guard in a separate operation on Monday in Zapopan, Jalisco.

Flores is wanted in the United States, where he faces drug trafficking charges. The U.S. State Department was offering US $5 million for information leading to his arrest.

Flores was a former security chief for “El Mencho,” who died after he was shot in a military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco, on Feb. 22. He was among various people considered as possible successors to Oseguera, who founded the CJNG and led the powerful criminal organization until his death.

Flores, a native of the state of Michoacán, was reportedly a Nayarit-based regional commander for the CJNG. He was allegedly involved in illicit activities in Nayarit, Jalisco, México state, Guerrero and Zacatecas.

El Jardinero arrested in ‘surgical’ operation  

The arrest of Flores was first announced on Monday by federal Security Minister Omar García Harfuch, who wrote on social media that the suspect was detained in an operation “planned, developed and executed” by naval special forces. He also posted video footage of the arrest to his X account.

The Navy Ministry (SEMAR) said in a statement that Flores was arrested near the community of El Mirador, located northeast of the Nayarit capital of Tepic in the municipality of Del Nayar.

SEMAR said that the suspect is “one of the main generators of violence of a criminal group with a national level presence” — i.e., the CJNG.

“After 19 months of monitoring this high-priority target, the operation was planned, developed and executed by personnel from the Ministry of the Navy, in coordination with the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) and the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR). As a result of field and desk intelligence work, as well as information sharing with U.S. agencies, the possible location of the priority target was identified in the vicinity of the community of El Mirador, Nayarit, where an operation was deployed to locate him,” the Navy Ministry said.

“During the operation, it was determined that the target was holed up in a cabin, protected by a security presence consisting of multiple vehicles (approximately 30 pickup trucks) and armed personnel (more than 60 people). In response to this situation, a tactical deployment was implemented that included intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, four close-support helicopters, two troop-transport helicopters, four fixed-wing aircraft, 120 direct-action troops, as well as 400 naval personnel in support roles,” SEMAR said.

https://t.co/vFnD3unieL pic.twitter.com/q8Gj4zxLVH

— Omar H Garcia Harfuch (@OHarfuch) April 27, 2026

The ministry said that when the Navy arrived in the area where Flores was hiding, the suspect’s bodyguards “dispersed in different directions” as a distraction tactic.

“However, through aerial and ground surveillance, the priority target was located as he attempted to hide in a drainage pipe, and he was subsequently arrested,” SEMAR said.

The ministry said that the operation was carried out in a “surgical manner,” highlighting that not a single shot was fired and no deaths or injuries occurred.

SEMAR said that the arrest of Flores is an “important security achievement” that “directly contributes to the dismantling of criminal structures and the reduction of violence in the country.”

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ron Johnson acknowledged the arrest on social media.

“I recognize the courage and precision of @SEMAR_mx in the operation that led to the arrest of Audias Flores Silva, ‘El Jardinero,'” he wrote.

“Actions like this strengthen security and help dismantle criminal networks that threaten our communities. Together, we deliver results that make our nations safer.”

In a separate post, Johnson wrote that the arrest of Flores “marks an important step against those who profit from fentanyl and drive violence in our communities.”

Arrest triggers violence in Nayarit and Jalisco 

The arrest of Flores triggered various acts of violence in Nayarit and Jalisco on Monday, including arson attacks on businesses and the burning of vehicles. However, the scale of the cartel response was nowhere near as extensive as that which followed the operation against “El Mencho” on Feb. 22.

Nevertheless, the Nayarit government called on residents to stay at home as a precautionary measure.

In a video message on Monday night, Nayarit Governor Miguel Ángel Navarro Quintero said that the situation in the state was “normal.”

“The population is calm, highways and toll booths are operating as usual,” he said, adding that educational, commercial and social activities were taking place peacefully.

The federal Security Cabinet said on social media just after 8 p.m. Monday that no highways were blocked in Nayarit. It said there were reports of six vehicles being set on fire and six shops targeted in arson attacks. The Security Ministry said that no deaths or injuries had been reported. It also said that federal security forces were in Nayarit and collaborating with state and municipal authorities.

‘El Jardinero’ was charged in the US in 2020

In April 2021, the U.S. State Department announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest of Flores, who it described as a “high-level member” of the CJNG.

Flores “is very closely aligned with the leader of the CJNG, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera-Cervantes, alias ‘El Mencho,'” the State Department said at the time.

It noted that Flores “was charged in a federal indictment returned on August 13, 2020, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.”

“The indictment charges Flores Silva with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and one kilogram or more of heroin for importation into the United States, as well as carrying, using, and possessing a firearm in relation to a drug offense,” the State Department said.

In a wanted notice published in April 2021, the State Department said that Flores “controls several methamphetamine laboratories in the central region of Jalisco and in southern Zacatecas.”

“In controlling the movement of illegal drugs for importation to the United States, Flores Silva oversees the operation of several airplanes and clandestine airstrips for illicit use. In addition, Flores Silva controls tractor-trailer trucks for transporting cocaine from Central America to Mexico, as well as passenger vehicles to transport various illicit narcotics from Mexico to CJNG’s U.S. distribution cells in California, Texas, Illinois, Georgia, Washington, and Virginia,” it said.    

‘El Güero Conta’ detained in Jalisco 

García Harfuch announced on social media on Monday afternoon that Mexican Army special forces and the National Guard had detained César Alejandro N, “identified as the financial operator of Audias Flores Silva, alias ‘El Jardinero,’ regional boss of the CJNG.”

El día de hoy en Zapopan, Jalisco, Fuerzas Especiales del Ejército Mexicano y de la Guardia Nacional @Defensamx1 detuvieron a César Alejandro N, alias “El Güero Conta”, identificado como operador financiero de Audias Flores Silva, alias “El Jardinero”, jefe regional del CJNG.… pic.twitter.com/ZHUC4ob22s

— Omar H Garcia Harfuch (@OHarfuch) April 28, 2026

The arrest occurred in Zapopan, part of the metropolitan area of Guadalajara.

García Harfuch said that the suspect, known as “El Güero Conta” (The Blond Accountant), is accused of laundering money obtained from “illicit activities” as well as purchasing planes, boats, houses and ranches with those resources and “investing in tequila producers.”

“This arrest represents an important blow of the financial structure of said criminal group,” the security minister wrote.

“The institutions of the Security Cabinet maintain permanent actions to weaken criminal organizations and bring those who generate violence to justice,” he added.

With reports from El Financiero, El Universal, Reforma and López-Dóriga Digital