Top Jalisco cartel leader 'El Jardinero' arrested in Mexico

By Laura Gottesdiener, Ana Isabel Martinez and Lizbeth Diaz

Mon, April 27, 2026 at 6:11 PM PDT

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/top-jalisco-cartel-leader-el-205357888.html

Audias Flores, a top CJNG leader, was arrested by Mexican special forces.

He controlled large portions of CJNG’s operations on Mexico's Pacific coast.

The arrest followed 19 months of surveillance and included U.S. intelligence.

Flores tried to escape but was caught hiding in a drainage ditch.

The operation was conducted without any shots fired.

The U.S. offered a $5 million reward for Flores' arrest.

The U.S. Treasury Department labeled Flores as a significant foreign narcotics trafficker in 2021.

The arrest is seen as a major blow to CJNG operations.