What Does the U.S. Accuse ‘El Jardinero’—a CJNG Leader and Former Security Chief for ‘El Mencho’—of?

Audias Flores has been identified by the governments of the United States and Mexico as one of the CJNG’s most significant operatives.

In late 2023, the name of Audias Flores Silva—alias ‘El Jardinero’ (The Gardener)—made headlines following an operation led by the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) aimed at his capture, which ultimately failed. More than two years after those events, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) has been arrested.

The capture of the notorious drug trafficker—identified as a potential successor to Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, ‘El Mencho’—was announced on the afternoon of April 26, 2026, by the head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), Omar García Harfuch.

Via social media, the federal official reported that the events took place in Nayarit during a Navy operation, which concluded without any casualties. He also detailed that Flores Silva is subject to an arrest warrant in Mexico and is also wanted by U.S. authorities for extradition purposes.

“For his capture, the U.S. government had offered a reward of 5 million dollars,” he noted.

In light of these events, MILENIO explains the specific crimes for which he is wanted in the United States.

‘El Jardinero’: Wanted by the U.S. Since 2020

Audias Flores Silva was born on November 19, 1980, in Michoacán, making him currently 45 years old.

The U.S. Department of Justice identifies him as one of the “alleged leaders of the CJNG,” with a presence in Nayarit, Zacatecas, Jalisco, Michoacán, and Guerrero.

He was indicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on August 13, 2020, on the following charges:

Conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine for importation into the United States.

Conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin for importation into the United States.

Carrying, using, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Stemming from the investigation against him, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) discovered that ‘El Jardinero’ maintains a close relationship with ‘El Mencho’—a fact that has even led to his being identified as a potential successor in the chain of command.

‘El Jardinero’s’ Role in Mexico

According to the DEA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Flores Silva controlled—at least through 2021—several methamphetamine laboratories in Jalisco and southern Zacatecas on behalf of the CJNG.

“By controlling the trafficking of illicit drugs for importation into the United States, Flores-Silva oversees the operation of various aircraft and clandestine airstrips for illicit use,” reads his wanted poster, which remains active.

In April 2021, the United States revealed that ‘El Jardinero’ also controls tractor-trailers used to transport cocaine from Central America to Mexico, as well as passenger vehicles used to transport various drugs to CJNG distribution cells located in:

California

Texas

Illinois

Georgia

Washington

Virginia

‘El Jardinero’s’ Other Aliases

The United States identifies Audias Flores Silva by the following nicknames: ‘El Comandante,’ ‘El Bravo 2,’ ‘Audi,’ and ‘Mata Jefes.’ The name Gabriel Raigosa Plascencia is also linked to him.

‘El Jardinero’ Served Prison Time in the United States

Department of Justice records indicate that, in 2002, Flores Silva was indicted in the Western District of North Carolina for participating in drug trafficking activities. After being apprehended, he was found guilty and served a five-year sentence in a U.S. prison.

Following his release, ‘El Jardinero’ returned to Mexico, where, in 2016, he was arrested for his alleged involvement in the April 2015 ambush of Mexican police officers in Soyatlán, Jalisco. However, he was released shortly thereafter.

Source: Milenio