Mexican drug kingpin gunned down by military helicopter

According to Mexico¡¯s naval secretariat, Juan Francisco Patr¨®n, also known as H2, was a key figure in the Beltr¨¢n Leyva cartel¡¯s operations in the states of Nayarit and Jalisco. Accounts on social networks by witnesses said Patr¨®n offered resistance when he realized he was surrounded and troops called in an Apache helicopter.

Patr¨®n¡¯s death comes after increased violence in Nayarit that has seen several killings in the area.

Patr¨®n assumed a leading role in the organization following the arrests and deaths of the four Beltr¨¢n Leyva brothers.

Capturing drugs cartel leaders has been a priority of President Enrique Pe?a

The four ¨C Arturo, Alfredo, H¨¦ctor and Carlos ¨C began their criminal career in northwest Mexico as hitmen for the Sinaloa cartel, then led by Joaqu¨ªn El Chapo Guzm¨¢n. Their activity focused on shipping cocaine from Central and South America to the United States and Europe.

But their relations with El Chapo cooled off after Alfredo Beltr¨¢n Leyva was arrested in January 2008. The brothers accused El Chapo of betrayal, and this triggered a bloody vendetta. That same year, the Beltr¨¢n Leyvas reached a deal with Los Zetas, El Chapo¡¯s chief rivals and lords of the Gulf drug routes.

The group¡¯s structure changed with the death of Arturo ¨C who was gunned down in a military operation on December 16, 2009 ¨C and the arrest of Carlos, the youngest brother, two weeks later. H¨¦ctor was arrested in 2014.

Juan Francisco Patr¨®n¡¯s brother Jes¨²s, who also played a leading role in the organization, was arrested six years ago.

When he took office in 2012, Mexico¡¯s President Enrique Pe?a Nieto drew up a list of 122 drug cartel leaders, making their capture a priority. With the death of H2, 107 have now been arrested or killed.

English version by Nick Lyne.