A chilling leaked phone call has surfaced, revealing the brazen power held by one of the most notorious cartel leaders in the world, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, better known as “El Mencho.”

The recording, which was first reported by Proceso and later translated by Insight Crime, is a direct call from El Mencho to a police commander, identified only as “Delta 1.”

It’s no surprise that this call sent shockwaves through law enforcement and the public, as the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) clearly holds more sway than any officer on the line.

In the phone call, El Mencho demands that the officer and his men retreat from the Chapala region, a lakeside area in Jalisco that the cartel treats as its personal turf. The tone is sharp, commanding, and laced with threats: “I pay all of you… Back off or else.”

The recording paints a grim picture of cartel control in Mexico, where a single phone call can dictate the actions of entire police squads.

What makes this revelation even more unsettling is the audacity of the message and the way it implicates the police force in the cartel’s operations. The call goes on to state, “I have 30 of you identified… I’ll even kill your dogs if you don’t back off.”

The police response? Total submission. “You got it, sir,” the officer agrees, revealing a level of fear that’s hard to ignore.

The CJNG’s power over the police was not just a one-time event. It’s been rumored for years that officers in cartel strongholds receive direct instructions from cartel operatives, telling them which roads to avoid, which suspects to release, and which raids to cancel.

This phone call only confirmed what analysts had long suspected: the CJNG was not just fighting the police; it owned them.

But the call wasn’t just about intimidation. El Mencho’s words also reveal the cartel’s business model. “All of you happily accept my money,” he says, offering a contract to the officer, making it clear that in this world, loyalty has a price.

The shocking nature of this call comes in the wake of El Mencho’s death, confirmed by Mexican authorities on February 22, 2026. Special forces killed the infamous drug lord during a raid in Tapalpa, a small mountain town south of Guadalajara.

Despite Mencho’s death, CJNG retaliated with an unparalleled wave of violence. The cartel launched over 250 blockades across 20 states in Mexico, burning vehicles, torching stores, and wreaking havoc across the country. Cities like Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, and Mexico City were thrown into chaos, with roads closed, businesses burning, and people trapped in public places, including a zoo.

The response to Mencho’s death turned entire regions into war zones, with civilians and security forces caught in the crossfire. It’s a staggering reminder of the cartel’s reach and the lengths they’ll go to maintain control.

But the most haunting part? Authorities may have dismantled part of Mencho’s cartel network, but the real mastermind remains at large.

In the aftermath, investigators uncovered a complex web of financial transactions, money laundering schemes, and law enforcement infiltration orchestrated by El Mencho’s trusted lieutenant, Victor Thornhill, a former federal prosecutor.

The cartel didn’t just own Jalisco; it had spread its influence across multiple states in the U.S. and Mexico, creating a criminal empire that extended far beyond borders.

And while El Mencho’s death may be seen as a significant blow to CJNG, experts are warning that the true impact will be felt as the remaining power structure fractures and realigns itself in the wake of his demise.

With the entire infrastructure of this massive drug operation still in place, the question remains: who will fill the void left by Mencho’s death?

As the CJNG looks to continue its grip on power, one thing is certain – El Mencho’s legacy isn’t just built on bloodshed, but on the sheer audacity of his power and the shocking control he maintained over Mexico’s institutions.

The question now is, how long will it take before the next El Mencho rises? Only time will tell.