The FBI arrested the leader and co-founder of Mexico's notorious Sinaloa Cartel on Thursday, federal authorities announced.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Announced The arrests of key figures from the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael Zambada Garcia, popularly known as “El Mayo,” and Joaquin Guzmán López, son of the notorious Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán, were arrested in El Paso, Texas and are currently facing numerous charges in the United States.
Mexican drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, co-founder of Sinaloa Cartel, in U.S. custody: sources https://t.co/JTb8Jgtlly pic.twitter.com/YDEOLTWw6h
— New York Post (@nypost) July 25, 2024
“The Department of Justice has arrested two additional alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the world's most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations,” Garland said in a statement.
El Mayo and Guzmán López, the cartel's alleged co-founders, are accused of spearheading the cartel's widespread criminal activities, including the production and trafficking of fentanyl, a drug that U.S. authorities say is the worst threat in U.S. history. The arrests are part of the Department of Justice's broader effort to dismantle the deadly fentanyl network blamed on the Sinaloa Cartel's activities.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 9: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, DC on July 9, 2024. The act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. (Photo by Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images)
According to the news release, these arrests add to the growing list of Sinaloa Cartel members currently on trial in the United States, which also includes El Chapo's other son, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, and the cartel's alleged leader, Nestor Isidro Pérez Salas, known as “El Nini.” El Chapo himself is already in custody and facing charges. (Related: Report: Mexican drug cartels expand drug pipeline to Alaska, worsening overdose crisis)
Garland noted the seriousness of the fentanyl crisis and reiterated the Department of Justice's commitment to holding all involved accountable.
“Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our nation has ever faced, and the Department of Justice will not rest until all cartel leaders, members and associates who poison our communities are held accountable,” Garland said.
