This combination of pictures created on July 26, 2024, shows an undated image obtained from the US Department of State of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia (L), cofounder of the Sinaloa Cartel; and an undated image obtained from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of the cartel’s other co-founder, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
| Photo Credit: AFP
Mexican drug kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and the son of his former partner, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, were arrested on July 25 in El Paso, Texas, in a major coup for U.S. authorities that may also reshape the Mexican criminal landscape.
Mr. Zambada is one of the most consequential traffickers in Mexico’s history and co-founded the Sinaloa Cartel with El Chapo, who was extradited to the United States in 2017 and is serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison.
Both Mr. Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of El Chapo, face multiple charges in the U.S. for funnelling huge quantities of drugs to U.S. streets, including fentanyl, which has surged to become the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45.
Mr. Zambada, who is believed to be in his 70s, and Guzman Lopez, who is in his 30s, were detained after landing in a private plane in the El Paso area.
Mr. Zambada was lured to the United States by Guzman Lopez, according to three current and former U.S. officials familiar with the operation who sought anonymity to speak candidly about the events.
U.S. authorities have made drug bosses key targets, frequently striking plea bargain deals with them in exchange for information that leads to capture of other high-ranking cartel figures.