El Mencho’s death marks a major blow to Mexico-China drug nexus in Indian waters | India News

Mexico’s most wanted and dangerous drug lord, Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, nicknamed “Ek Mencho”, was killed in a military operation. His death triggered coordinated violence in several Mexican states. Countries such as the United States, India and Canada, which monitored the situation, gave advice to their citizens.

His death has not only brought relief to Mexico and neighboring countries, but Indian agencies also have a lot to relax and smile about due to this development.

Narcotics rackets in India are primarily controlled by the Dawood Ibrahim organisation, which has Haji Salim-like elements running operations.


However, in the last few years, other international actors have also begun to operate in Indian waters. El Mencho’s name came to light when the Indian Coast Guard seized a large drug consignment from a fishing boat in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on November 25, 2024. This was the first instance in which authorities discovered that Mexican operatives coordinating with Chinese players were involved in the drug trade in India.

What made this seizure unique was the value of the drugs smuggled through Indian waters. Indian Coast Guard seized 6,000 kg of methamphetamine worth Rs 6,000 billion. Authorities noted that narcotics of this size are generally run only by large cartels. Authorities suspected the shipment was being moved by the Jalisco New Generation cartel in Mexico, led by El Macho, in coordination with the Chinese cartel led by Tse Chi Lop, widely known as “Chinese El Chapo.”

The agencies are currently actively involved in narcotics networks run by Dawood Ibrahim and the ISI, an official said. Other international cartels have also begun operating in Indian waters in recent months. The elimination of El Mencho provides relief to Indian officials as it is expected to reduce the involvement of international players, at least temporarily.

Led by El Mencho, the cartel has a large and complex network that includes Chinese agents who delegate responsibilities to individuals from Myanmar.

El Mencho’s cartels have been operating in India since 2019, when methamphetamine was seized in the Andaman Sea. Six Myanmar citizens participated in this operation on behalf of the cartel. An officer explained that investigations revealed that the drugs smuggled by El Mencho’s network were of significantly higher quality than those smuggled by Dawood Ibrahim, which naturally led to higher demand.

It is also said that El Mencho, together with Chinese El Chapo, used the Andaman Sea extensively for drug traffic. Its main destination is not only India but the maximum amount is introduced into Thailand through Indian waters.

With contributions from IANS…