Sinaloa Cartel Leader Arrested: Major Breakthrough in Drug Trafficking Battle
In a significant breakthrough against one of the world's most notorious drug trafficking organizations, the FBI arrested Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, the leader and co-founder of Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, along with Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of the infamous Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.
The arrests took place on Thursday in El Paso, Texas, as confirmed by federal authorities.
High-Profile Arrests at the U.S. Border
The Justice Department confirmed that Zambada and Guzman Lopez were taken into custody by the FBI without incident at the U.S. border.
Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, "The Justice Department has apprehended two additional alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world."
This marks a significant victory in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and the associated violence.
A historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, and a son of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas, the U.S. Justice Department said. https://t.co/dbmD1pMK8z pic.twitter.com/wNkFTAfJaX
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) July 26, 2024
Source: Twitter/ABC7
Charges and Indictments
Zambada was indicted in Brooklyn in February on charges of fentanyl trafficking and other serious offenses. Both he and Guzman Lopez face multiple charges in the U.S. for leading the cartel's criminal activities, including the production and trafficking of lethal fentanyl.
FBI Director Christopher Wray commented, "Garcia and Guzman have allegedly managed the trafficking of tens of thousands of pounds of drugs into the United States, along with the associated violence."
A Long-Standing Fugitive
Zambada had been a fugitive in the U.S. for many years, with the State Department offering a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture in 2016, later increased by the DEA to up to $15 million.
His arrest is seen as a critical blow to the Sinaloa Cartel, which has been responsible for a significant portion of the drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, entering the U.S. and causing widespread devastation.
The Sinaloa Cartel’s Leadership
The Sinaloa Cartel, founded in the 1980s and based in Tijuana, is one of Mexico's most powerful and violent criminal organizations. Zambada co-founded the cartel with "El Chapo," who was captured in 2016 and is currently serving a life sentence in a maximum-security U.S. prison.
Following "El Chapo's" arrest, Zambada assumed leadership of the cartel. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram noted that Lopez and several of his brothers have also played significant roles in leading the cartel since their father's imprisonment.
The Chapitos and Their Role
Lopez is one of El Chapo's 12 children, four of whom are known as "Los Chapitos" due to their substantial involvement in the cartel's operations. Lopez was first indicted on federal drug trafficking charges in 2018 and has faced multiple charges since.
In April 2023, the other three Chapitos were among 28 alleged Sinaloa members and associates accused of running a transnational fentanyl trafficking operation into the U.S.
Attorney General Merrick Garland and Justice Department officials have attributed the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans to fentanyl.
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