Law & Justice

Mexican Authorities Detain Alleged CJNG Leader Rafael Alvarez in Zapopan Operation

By AFP and Reuters

Mexico’s Navy announced the arrest of Rafael Alvarez, alias “R2,” an alleged leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Alvarez, suspected of heading the CJNG’s “Los Rs” cell, was captured in Zapopan, part of the Guadalajara metropolitan area, on Sunday. The operation was carried out with intelligence provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said the cell is linked to extortion, drug trafficking, homicide, illegal deprivation of liberty, kidnapping and attacks against authorities. Victims of the group’s extortion included business owners and avocado producers. Harfuch also noted that Alvarez was wounded during a shootout that occurred during the arrest and is receiving medical care. He added that Alvarez has an outstanding arrest warrant in Mexico for aggravated homicide and another warrant for extradition to the U.S. The operation involved Mexico’s National Intelligence Center and resulted in the capture of 19 other individuals. Alvarez is linked to at least 19 killings, including the murder of Carlos Manzo, the former mayor of Uruapan in Michoacán, last year. The CJNG, which operates in Jalisco and Michoacán, was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. government in 2025 and is known for violent tactics and attacks on authorities. It competes with the Sinaloa Cartel for drug trafficking into the United States. Since the death of CJNG founder Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera in a military operation in February, several of its top leaders have been apprehended, although kidnapping for ransom continues in areas where the cartels operate. An estimated 134,000 people are believed to be missing across Mexico, with Jalisco reporting the highest number of disappearances in the country.