U.S. authorities have arrested 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel
CTV
Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of another infamous cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas on Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department said.
Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of another infamous cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas on Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department said.
A leader of the powerful Sinaloa cartel for decades alongside Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, Zambada was known for running the cartel's smuggling operations while keeping a lower profile.
The U.S. government had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to his capture.
Zambada and Guzman Lopez are facing multiple charges "for leading the cartel's criminal operations, including its deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks," Attorney General Merrick Garland said.
"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," Garland said in a statement.
Zambada's detention follows some important arrests of other Sinaloa cartel figures, including one of his sons and another one of Guzman's. Guzman Lopez was also a son of "El Chapo" Guzman.
In recent years, Guzman's sons have led a faction of the cartel known as the little Chapos, or "Chapitos" that has been identified as one of the main exporters of fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, to the U.S. market. "El Chapo" Guzman was sentenced to life in prison in the U.S. in 2019.
