Gunmen storm major international airport as chaos erupts after killing of country's most wanted man

Reports indicate members of the cartel entered the airport just hours after their leader, El Mencho, was killed by military, with members now retaliating following news of the killing.

Throughout Sunday, there were additional reports of cars being set alight and sightings of gunmen on the streets in Jalisco and elsewhere.

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as "El Mencho", was reportedly killed during a military operation carried out at dawn on Sunday in the central-western state of Jalisco.

Mexico's defence ministry said El Mencho died from injuries while in air transfer following the military operation.

The defence ministry also said that several armoured vehicles and weapons, including rocket launchers, were seized during the operation.

Three members of the military were reportedly wounded during the incident, and taken to hospital in Mexico City for emergency treatment.

The cartel has spread from its original power base in the state of Jalisco to have an almost nationwide presence across Mexico.

The US had previously offered a $15m reward for information leading to El Mencho's capture, with the US State Department issuing a shelter-in-place warning for US citizens in Jalisco State amid the chaos.

The Mexican defence ministry said the US had supplied Mexico with information that assisted its operation.

Former US ambassador to Mexico and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on social media that El Mencho's death was "a great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world".

Amid the chaos across the city, some airlines have reportedly told passengers to stay away from the airport for their own safety.

The airport incident comes after vehicle fires, road blockades, and damage to commercial establishments sparked chaos across the state.

Videos on social media show people running, with some falling as the gunmen were seen walking behind them.

Other footage shows airport crew allowing passengers to come behind check in desks for their safety.

Dozens of people were seen crouched down in between desks and the conveyer belt for luggage.

Alarms were also heard on the runway side as staff were seen running with what appears to be passengers being let out of the terminal for safety.

It is unknown if there are any injuries despite gunshots being heard.

According to AirLive, federal forces and the National Guard have been deployed to the airport in what has been described as “extremely volatile” situation.

A message has now reportedly been put out attributed to the feared cartel, warning residents of Guadalajara and surrounding areas to stay home.

The warning continues to tell locals that they will target anyone found on the streets starting from 2:00pm local time.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) considers the Jalisco New Generation Cartel to be as powerful as the Sinaloa cartel, one of Mexico's most infamous criminal groups, with a presence in all 50 US states.

It is one of the main suppliers of cocaine to the US market and, like the Sinaloa cartel, earns billions from the production of fentanyl and methamphetamines.