The San Pedro Sula raid, often referred to as the Mencia Raid, was a special operations mission executed by a multinational force consisting of the United States, Colombia and Central America. The target of the raid was powerful drug lord Carlos Mencia, who was holed up in his fortified compound three miles north of the major Centroamerican city of San Pedro Sula.
The raid occurred on July 23, 2008 at 5:25 local time, authorized jointly by Centroamerican President Porfirio Lobo Sosa and United States President Jay Leno. The attack group, consisting of American special forces operatives, flew in low over the city while the Centroamerican Army attacked Mencia's army of mercenaries between the city and the compound. As Mencia and his supporters prepared to flee the compound, the US Special Forces assaulted the compound from air and ground, forcing Mencia and his men back inside. The Special Forces then fought their way through the compound and shot and killed Mencia. In all, 23 men, including Mencia, were killed by US operations with only one injured American.