Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, the world's most wanted drug trafficker and leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, arrested in Texas

The infamous leader of the Sinaloa cartel, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada Garcia and a son of "El Chapo" Guzman, were arrested at a private airport in El Paso, Texas. Both drug traffickers now face charges in the United States.

The Justice Department announced Thursday the capture of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, along with Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of Joaquin Guzman Loera, known as "El Chapo." Both are facing multiple charges related to their roles in the operations of "one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world," including the manufacture and distribution of fentanyl.

The capture of "El Mayo," for which a $15 million reward was offered, adds to a growing list of Sinaloa Cartel leaders being pursued by the US Department of Justice. They include Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, co-founder of the cartel; Ovidio Guzmán López, El Chapo's son and alleged leader of the group; and Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, known as "El Nini," who reportedly acted as the cartel's top hitman.

Zambada's criminal record

Born in Culiacan, Mexico, in January 1948 Zambada was one of the most wanted fugitives in the United States for decades. His name appears in at least five court cases opened between 2003 and 2016 in federal courts, charges that include cocaine and marijuana trafficking. In addition, Zambada inherited the Sinaloa Cartel's criminal empire following the capture of El Chapo Guzman.

The pressure on Zambada intensified due to the fentanyl crisis in the United States, which has caused more than 100,000 deaths in the last year. In February, a new case was opened against him for his alleged involvement in the manufacture and distribution of the opioid. U.S. authorities identify the Sinaloa Cartel as one of the main players responsible for fentanyl trafficking.

His son's judicial cooperation

One of his sons, Vicente Zambada Niebla, known as "Vicentillo," was arrested in Mexico in 2009 and extradited to Chicago in 2013. He pleaded guilty to organized crime and cooperated with authorities, resulting in the conviction of El Chapo Guzman. Vicentillo was sentenced to 15 years in May 2019, but prison authorities confirmed in April 2021 that he had already been released from prison.

The arrest of Ismael Zambada marks a significant milestone in the fight against drug trafficking, closing a chapter of evasion that has been the subject of numerous reports and speculation over the years.