Mexican troops kill top Los Reyes cartel figure in Michoacan operation

In a recent anti-crime operation in western Mexico, soldiers from the national defense ministry confronted armed suspects in the town of Tocumbo, Michoacan, and killed Luis Enrique Barragan Chavez, whom U.S. officials label as a top hitman for the Los Reyes cartel, a branch of the Carteles Unidos network. The operation came after Washington announced a $3 million reward for tips that would lead to his arrest. Authorities said the troops came under fire before neutralizing Barragan and an additional cartel associate.

Barragan had previously been indicted in the United States on charges of drug conspiracy and illegal firearms possession, and was alleged to have overseen extortion rackets targeting avocado growers in the region. Michoacan has long suffered from cartel-related violence, especially against producers supplying the United States. The incident underscores Mexico's intensifying campaign against organized crime groups. One outlet supplied the report.