In a major blow to the Sinaloa drug cartel, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, one of its founders, has been arrested by US authorities in El Paso, Texas.
The 76-year-old drug lord, long considered a shadowy figure, was captured alongside Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of former cartel leader “El Chapo” Guzman.
Zambada had evaded capture for decades, becoming a legendary figure in the underworld. He was indicted in February on charges of conspiring to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that has fueled a deadly crisis in the US.
US officials described the arrest as a complex operation involving a months-long undercover operation. Zambada was reportedly lured onto a private plane under false pretenses by Guzman Lopez, who is believed to have turned on his former ally.
The capture of Zambada is seen as a significant victory in the US government’s ongoing battle against drug cartels.
Attorney General Merrick Garland described the Sinaloa cartel as “one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world.”
The arrest comes as fentanyl overdoses continue to claim thousands of lives in the US each year. Zambada’s capture is expected to have a profound impact on the cartel’s operations and the drug trade as a whole.
