Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, one of the world’s biggest drug lords and leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, has been arrested by US federal agents in El Paso, Texas.
Zambada, 76, co-founded the cartel with Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who is currently in a US prison.
Zambada was arrested along with Guzman’s son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, according to the US justice department.
In February, US prosecutors charged Zambada with a conspiracy to produce and distribute fentanyl, a drug stronger than heroin and a major factor in the US opioid crisis.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland said Zambada and Guzman Lopez lead one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world. He noted that more leaders of the Sinaloa cartel are being held accountable in the US.
The Sinaloa cartel is the biggest supplier of drugs to the US, according to American prosecutors. The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had offered a reward of up to $15 million for Zambada’s capture.
During El Chapo Guzman’s trial in 2019, his lawyers claimed that Zambada bribed the entire Mexican government to live openly without fear of prosecution.
This summary is based on information from BBC News.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4ng4g31x1wo