Wanted in San Diego: ‘El Ingeniero,’ Accused of Designing CJNG Drug Tunnels From Tijuana Into the U.S., Arrested in Zapopan, Jalisco
Mexican federal forces have arrested Luis Manuel “N,” alias “El Ingeniero,” in Zapopan, Jalisco. Authorities accuse him of designing and building cross-border drug tunnels for the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), mainly from Tijuana, across from San Diego. According to Mexico’s Defense Ministry (Defensa), he faces charges in San Diego, California, for conspiracy to traffic drugs.
What Mexican authorities say
El Universal (Oct. 16, 2026) and El Informador (Oct. 16) cite Defensa and Mexico’s Security Cabinet. Both say Army military intelligence, working with the National Guard and the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), caught Luis Manuel “N” in the act. He allegedly had weapons, drugs and a vehicle. Authorities have not given amounts or described the items. He was handed to the FGR in Guadalajara, which will decide his legal status.
Defensa describes him as a key CJNG member who allegedly reported directly to Juan Carlos Valencia González, “03,” whom it calls the group’s leader since CJNG founder Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho,” died in February. These are allegations; he has not been convicted in Mexico or the United States.
The arrest date differs between reports. Tribuna de la Bahía (Oct. 16), citing the official statement, puts it on Oct. 15. El Universal’s photo caption gives Oct. 16.
What is still unknown
None of the reports names a specific tunnel he allegedly built. They also don’t say how many tunnels there were, or when and in which U.S. court district the San Diego case was filed. El Imparcial (Oct. 16) says details of the evidence and his exact role have not been released. Tunnels under the Tijuana–San Diego border have long been used for smuggling; for crossing conditions and recent cases, see our Tijuana–San Diego guide.
Imagen Noticias report on the arrest:
Sources
- El Universal, Oct. 16, 2026
- El Informador, Oct. 16, 2026
- Tribuna de la Bahía, Oct. 16, 2026
- El Imparcial, Oct. 16, 2026
- La Razón, Oct. 17, 2026
- Photos: Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), via El Universal
Reported Oct. 17, 2026, from Mexican media accounts of Defensa and Security Cabinet statements. We found no U.S. Justice Department release on the San Diego case, and Mexican authorities did not give his full surname.