CJNG's El Jardinero Captured in Nayarit

By "Karamazov" for Borderland Beat

On April 27, 2026, Audias Flores Silva, known as “El Jardinero,” was apprehended during a surgical military operation in the state of Nayarit carried out by the Mexican Navy’s Special Forces (SEMAR) without any reported fatalities. This operation was executed after 19 months of surveillance by the naval intelligence unit, beginning in October 2024 in coordination with U.S. and Mexican agencies.

The operation took place in El Mirador, a municipality in Nayarit located approximately 12 miles north of Puerto Vallarta. It involved major military resources, including four close air support helicopters, two troop transport helicopters, four fixed-wing aircraft, 120 direct-action troops, and 400 naval personnel in support roles.

Despite the fact that El Jardinero’s security ring consisted of more than 60 gunmen and 30 pickup trucks, Flores Silva was captured without a single shot being fired. When pursued by security forces, his escoltas attempted to scatter in an effort to create confusion; however, aerial surveillance units tracked their movements and directed forces to his location, where he was ultimately found hiding in a roadside drainage ditch.

In the aftermath of El Jardinero’s capture, the state of Nayarit experienced widespread violence, including blockades and vehicle burnings on multiple areas. In Tecuala, arson attacks targeted businesses; in Ixtlán del Río, roadblocks; and along the Guadalajara–Tepic Highway, strategic blockades were carried out using freight vehicles. These disruptions were largely contained through the implementation of Plan Antibloqueo (Anti-Blockade Plan), a regional security strategy deployed by the Mexican Army (SEDENA) to rapidly clear roads and maintain territorial control.

Following his capture, El Jardinero was transported under heavy military security aboard a Navy Bombardier Challenger 605 to Mexico City, where he was transferred to the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime (FEMDO). He is currently under legal review as authorities determine his judicial status and possible extradition to the United States.

In a simultaneous military operation in Zapopan, Jalisco, carried out jointly by the Mexican Army (SEDENA) and the National Guard, authorities also apprehended César “N.,” a.k.a “El Güero Conta,” a key financial and logistics operator for the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), which operates in Nayarit and Zacatecas.

“El Güero Conta” specialized in cocaine trafficking through maritime routes and clandestine flights. His criminal activities also included kidnapping, extortion, and arms trafficking. Authorities identified him as responsible for purchasing aircraft, boats, properties, ranches, and investments in tequila production on behalf of the CJNG.

Mexico’s Fuerzas Especiales de Reacción Inmediata (Immediate Reaction Special Forces), responsible for urban tactical operations, located his residence as well as three additional properties in Zapopan, including the address associated with his wife and children. During the arrest, authorities seized a long firearm, 50 rounds of ammunition, 1,000 doses of methamphetamine, 60,000 pesos in cash, three cell phones, and one vehicle. Unlike the aftermath of El Jardinero’s capture, no blockades or major retaliatory actions were reported following El Güero Conta’s arrest.

Sources: El Universal, Nayarit Times