Twenty-five Mexican troops died in clashes with cartel gunmen following a raid that led to the death of the country's most-wanted drug lord, a top security official said on Monday.

Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was wounded on Sunday in a shootout with soldiers in the town of Tapalpa, in Jalisco state, and died while being flown to Mexico City, the army said.

News of his death triggered spasms of violence, with cartel members across the country blocking roads in 20 states and torching vehicles and businesses.

At least 25 National Guard members were killed in subsequent clashes, Security Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch said.

Harfuch added that a prison guard, a member of the state prosecutor's office and 30 suspected members of Oseguera's criminal organisation were also killed.

Oseguera had a US$15 million United States bounty on his head.

Eight suspected cartel gunmen were killed in the special forces operation to capture him and three soldiers were wounded, Defence Secretary Ricardo Trevilla said.

Fearful residents went into hiding, and tourists took shelter in their hotels and resorts as cartel members went on the rampage.

While US President Donald Trump had yet to respond publicly to the elimination of Oseguera, he posted briefly on his Truth Social platform: "Mexico must step up their effort on Cartels and Drugs!"

Although the violence appeared to be subsiding, Mexico remained on high alert.

The government sent 2,500 troops to Jalisco – a state that is scheduled to host four World Cup soccer games this summer.

The streets of Jalisco's state capital Guadalajara were almost empty on Monday.

Schools, stores, pharmacies and gas stations remained shuttered, all events involving large crowds were cancelled and public transportation was suspended.

The violence gripped the resort city of Puerto Vallarta, and spread to neighbouring Michoacan state, where Oseguera's cartel has been waging war against a rival coalition of criminal groups.

Travel warnings from Britain, Canada and the United States were issued in the fallout, with Australia urging citizens to "exercise a degree of caution" early on Monday.

Washington asked US citizens to "shelter in place until further notice."

Dozens of US and Canadian flights were cancelled.

Oseguera, 59, was considered the last of the drug lords who acted in the brutal mould of the now-imprisoned Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada.

With his son Ruben "El Menchito" Oseguera Gonzalez, 35, convicted by a federal jury in Washington in September, experts have warned the "absence of a direct succession" could lead to a power vacuum.

"That opens the door to violent realignments within the organization," said David Mora, an expert at the Crisis Group analysis centre.

Mexico said in addition to its own military intelligence, the operation to seize Oseguera was carried out with "complementary information" from US authorities. (AFP)



Edited by Robert Kemp