Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada Garcia, a key figure in the infamous Sinaloa Cartel, has been captured and taken into custody by U.S. authorities. This development comes as a major step in the ongoing battle against the powerful and violent Mexican drug cartel.
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The capture of Zambada Garcia, also known as ‘El Mayo,’ took place in El Paso on Thursday, detailed the Department of Justice. Alongside him, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of the cartel’s other co-founder, Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, was also detained.
Attorney General Merick B. Garland announced, “The Justice Department has taken into custody two additional alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world. Ismael Zambada Garcia, or ‘El Mayo,’ cofounder of the Cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of its other cofounder, were arrested today in El Paso, Texas.”
Zambada Garcia, along with now-imprisoned ‘El Chapo,’ co-founded the Sinaloa Cartel, notorious for its extensive and deadly influence on global drug trafficking.
This image provided by the U.S. Department of State shows Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, a key leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel. He and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, another significant figure, were apprehended by U.S. authorities in Texas, the Justice Department said.
Federal law enforcement reported that Joaquin Guzman Lopez surrendered, while El Mayo was captured. Apparently, Guzman Lopez struck a deal with U.S. authorities and cooperated against El Mayo. The narrative unfolds with Guzman Lopez taking a flight with El Mayo, which instead of heading to Mexico as anticipated by El Mayo, landed in El Paso, leading to their arrest.
Heralded as a significant achievement, there was a $15 million reward for information leading to El Mayo’s arrest and conviction. He now faces multiple charges related to drug trafficking and organized crime in the United States.
FBI Director Christopher Wray expressed, “Today, the FBI and DEA arrested two alleged cartel leaders who have eluded law enforcement for decades. El Mayo and Guzman Lopez will now face justice.”
Wray further mentioned that these arrests underscore the commitment to dismantling violent international criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel.
Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, co-leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, is being escorted post-arrest. His capture and subsequent convictions cast a long shadow on the cartel’s operations.
In a notable legal move, U.S. federal prosecutors extended previous indictments against Zambada Garcia to cover activities from May 2014 to January 2024, citing conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, a major cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 45.
Guzman, meanwhile, had been convicted in 2019, receiving a life sentence plus 30 years for his crimes.
Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman is seen here during his presentation in Mexico City, after an earlier arrest. His operations had a lasting impact on the drug trade and criminal activities.
Although Guzman was incarcerated, Zambada Garcia continued his involvement with the cartel’s high-level operations from Mexico. According to a February press release, he led a far-reaching enterprise responsible for importing and distributing massive quantities of narcotics, generating billions in profits.
Zambada Garcia’s strategies included hiring individuals to secure transportation routes and storage for drugs, as well as employing ‘sicarios’—or hitmen—to carry out kidnappings and murders in retaliation against threats to the cartel’s dominance. Revenue from these illicit activities was then funneled back to Mexico.
Attorney General Garland summarized, “El Mayo and Guzman Lopez join a growing list of Sinaloa Cartel leaders who the Justice Department is holding accountable. This includes the cartel’s other co-founder, ‘El Chapo,’ and other alleged leaders and associates. 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 is brought to justice.”
Significant progress has been made in weakening the Sinaloa Cartel’s far-reaching influence, but the road to complete eradication of their criminal operations continues.
