Luis Enrique Barragan Chavez, identified as the leader of the Los Reyes cartel, was killed in a security operation in the western Mexican state of Michoacan. Mexican authorities confirmed the death of Chavez, who used the aliases "R5" and "El Wicho".
The operation was carried out on Sunday night in the municipality of Tocumbo following intelligence work by the army's 12th Military Region. Mexico's Secretariat of National Defense said security forces came under fire during the operation and returned fire.
Another person was killed in the clash
Another person who was with Barragan Chavez was killed in the clash. After the operation was completed, teams seized two automatic rifles, ammunition, magazines and an all-terrain vehicle.
Michoacan Governor Ramirez Bedolla said at a press conference that an operation was also conducted in the municipality of Los Reyes. The Secretariat of National Defense said units from the Civil Guard and National Guard had been deployed extensively in the area.
Leadership changed in the cartel
Barragan Chavez took over the organization after authorities captured Alfonso Fernandez Magallon, the previous leader of the Los Reyes cartel, in August. The capture of Fernandez Magallon, known as "Poncho," led to a change in the cartel's leadership.
The Los Reyes cartel operates in the municipalities of Los Reyes, Periban and Tocumbo in western Michoacan. These settlements are located near the border with the neighboring state of Jalisco.
U.S. sanctions and a $3 million reward
Mexican authorities identified Barragan Chavez as one of the key figures coordinating extortion of avocado producers in Michoacan. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Chavez in August 2025 and identified him as a regional leader of Carteles Unidos linked to extortion activities in the avocado sector.
The U.S. State Department had offered a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to Barragan Chavez's capture or conviction.
Organized crime operations in Michoacan
Violence linked to disputes over territory, drug trafficking and extortion among criminal groups has continued for years in Michoacan, an agricultural region in western Mexico.
U.S. authorities said criminal groups in the state regularly extort farmers and others involved in the production and export of agricultural goods. Avocado production and exports are among the areas particularly targeted by these activities.
The latest operation in Michoacan was part of the Mexican government's broader campaign against organized crime.
