Jalisco cartel regional leader 'el Tanque' arrested in Mexico

Mexican security ​forces arrested alleged regional ‌leader of ​the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) "El Tanque", in the town of Zapopan in Jalisco state, ‌security minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said on Tuesday.

"Investigations link him to homicides, extortion, unlawful deprivation of liberty, fuel theft, money laundering, ‌and drug trafficking," Garcia Harfuch said on X, adding ‌that he was active in the Mexican states of Veracruz, Oaxaca, Tabasco and Puebla. El Tanque is also accused of allegedly participating in an attack against ⁠a Mexican ​army helicopter ⁠in Jalisco in 2015, which killed members of the army and federal ⁠police.

The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control ​sanctioned El Tanque in 2024, identifying him as Ivan Cazarin ⁠Molina. In its report at the time, OFAC said El Tanque reported directly to ⁠the ​CJNG's former leader Nemesio Oseguera as part of his inner circle of trusted associates.

Mexican special forces killed Oseguera, ⁠who was known as El Mencho, in a U.S.-backed raid on ⁠Feb. 22. OFAC ⁠said that El Tanque's fuel theft generates tens of millions of dollars per year for ‌himself ‌and CJNG.