It is neither the oldest nor the largest in number of members, but it is the most lethal. We explain why the Jalisco Cartel – New Generation (CJNG) has become the world’s worst security nightmare.
If you’ve heard of the “Four Letter Cartel,” you know the name is imposing. But what makes the CJNG different from “old school” cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel? It’s not just the trafficking of substances; it’s how they operate. Here we sum it up for you in a clear way.
1. A guerrilla structure, not a gang structure.
These men are not special forces, they are members of the criminal group CJNG, one of the most powerful and feared cartels in Mexico. pic.twitter.com/tOlsXaitcU
– Creepy.org (@creepydotorg) March 1, 2024
Unlike other groups, the CJNG doesn’t just use hitmen; it uses soldiers.
Its armed wing is equipped with tactical uniforms, hand-armored vehicles (the famous “monsters”) and high-caliber weaponry including grenade launchers and explosive-laden drones.
Its organization is vertical and disciplined.
They have “plaza bosses” who function as regional governors, and logistics that allow them to take over entire cities in a matter of minutes, as they have demonstrated with their narco-blockades.
2. Control of the “gates of the world”.
The CJNG understood that the business is not only in the routes, but also in the ports.
Their absolute control over Manzanillo, Colima, and Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán, allows them to receive precursor chemicals directly from Asia to manufacture fentanyl and methamphetamines.
3. Global Expansion: From Jalisco to the World
Hideouts of CJNG leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes “El Mencho” on the outskirts of Talpa de Allende, Jalisco.
Hideouts of CJNG leader “El Mencho” on the outskirts of Talpa de Allende, JL.
1.(20°15’38 “N 104°56’48 “W)
2. (20°14’49 “N 104°57’11 “W)
3. (20°14’45 “N 104°57’57 “W) pic.twitter.com/APbI6dcRYJ– crux1469 (@crux1469) June 15, 2024
This cartel is no longer “Jalisco” in name only. Its presence has been detected in:
The Americas: Full control in Mexico and strong routes in the US and Canada.
Europe: Alliances with the Italian mafia (“Ndrangheta”) to flood the continent with cocaine.
Asia and Oceania: Operations in Australia and Japan, where drug prices are tripling.
4. Financial support: “Los Cuinis”.
They are “Los Cuinis”, the financial brains behind #CJNG
The Jalisco Cartel – New Generation used violence to expand in the country, while “Los Cuinis” worked in the shadows, becoming the true economic engine of the organization.
Led by the… pic.twitter.com/SreC9ksMpz
– Azteca Noticias (@AztecaNoticias) February 26, 2026
Behind the bullets, there are bills.
The financial arm of the CJNG, known as Los Cuinis (family of “Mencho’s” wife), is considered one of the most sophisticated in the world, according to Azteca Noticias.
They have used everything from real estate to shopping malls and tequila brands to launder money, making their structure very difficult to dismantle.
With the fall of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the question is not whether the cartel will disappear, but who will take control.
Their structure is so fragmented but coordinated that the risk of an internal war for the throne could unleash an unprecedented wave of violence in the states where they have a presence.
