Powerful Mexican Drug Cartel Leader and El Chapo’s Son Arrested in U.S.

4 Min Read
Courtesy: Associated Press

Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a powerful Mexican drug cartel leader who eluded authorities for decades, was duped into flying into the U.S. and was arrested alongside Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of notorious drug kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. This dramatic arrest was part of a covert operation by U.S. authorities, a U.S. law enforcement official revealed under the condition of anonymity.

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Zambada boarded an airplane to the U.S. believing he was traveling to a different destination. Upon arriving in the El Paso area, Zambada and Guzmán López were immediately taken into custody by U.S. authorities. The official did not disclose who persuaded Zambada to get on the plane or his presumed destination, reports the Associated Press.

Zambada appeared in federal court in El Paso on Friday morning, where he entered a plea of not guilty to numerous drug trafficking charges. Frank Perez, Zambada’s lawyer, stated that Zambada was brought to the U.S. “against his will” and did not surrender voluntarily.

Zambada is one of the most powerful drug lords in the world and a key target for the U.S. government, which offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to his capture. His arrest is considered a significant blow to the Sinaloa cartel, responsible for trafficking huge quantities of drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, across the U.S. border.

“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, and the Justice Department will not rest until every single cartel leader, member, and associate responsible for poisoning our communities is held accountable,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland in a statement.

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Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stated that Mexico was not involved in the operation and was still awaiting details about the arrests. He suggested that despite the arrests, other figures could step in to fill the vacuum, emphasizing his administration’s focus on addressing the root causes of drug use and violence.

Mexican Security Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez confirmed that the plane took off from Hermosillo, Mexico, with only the pilot. Tracking service FlightAware showed the plane stopped transmitting its altitude and speed for about 30 minutes over the mountains of northern Mexico before resuming its course to the U.S. border.

“It is a fact that one person went out from here, three people arrived there,” Rodríguez said.

Zambada faces charges in several U.S. cases, including in New York and California. A new indictment in New York in February described him as the “principal leader of the criminal enterprise responsible for importing enormous quantities of narcotics into the United States.”

Zambada, one of the longest-surviving capos in Mexico, was considered the cartel’s strategist, more involved in day-to-day operations than his flashier boss, “El Chapo.” Known for concentrating on the business side of trafficking, Zambada avoided the gruesome cartel violence that would draw attention.

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