Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada surprised many last week when he accepted being transferred to New York City from Texas, backtracking on his initial refusal to face trial in the same courthouse where another top drug lord, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, was sentenced to life in prison.
Now, a specialized reporter has given a potential reason for the change of heart: a death threat from a gang operating both in Mexico and Texas. According to Anabel Hernández, host of podcast Narcosistema, members of the "Barrio Azteca" gang made the threats to "El Mayo" in the El Paso prison where he's currently being held.
Hernández described the gang as an "extremely violent" one and said they have over 5,000 members operating mostly in Texas and Ciudad Juárez, in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. "They are dedicated to drug-trafficking, arms dealing, money laundering, extortion and kidnapping. They mainly do so through sowing terror in their areas of operation," according to a DOJ report on the gang, Hernández said.
The threat reportedly answers to an old turf war between the Sinaloa Cartel and Barrio Azteca, where the former ended up claiming victory. The latter, however, saw the opportunity to threat the cartel's old leader in prison.
"He was threatened by the Aztecs due to the bloody war for the control of Ciudad Juárez. The old drug lord understood his life was really in danger," the journalist claimed, adding that even the DOJ was notified of the danger he faced for remaining in Texas.
If effectively taken to New York City, Zambada will face 17 charges including fentanyl trafficking—a pressing concern in the United States, which has seen a devastating rise in overdose deaths due to the drug. He has already pleaded not guilty to to racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and other charges in Texas.
"As the co-founder and current leader of the largest, most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world, Ismael Zambada García is accused of supplying fentanyl to the United States at a time when the lethal narcotic has claimed lives at a devastating rate. For decades, the ruthlessly violent Sinaloa Cartel has continued its deadly scourge with the pervasive trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and other synthetic drugs into the U.S.," stated HSI Acting Assistant Director Arvelo. "HSI New York and our law enforcement partners will not stop until we bring Zambada Garcia to justice on behalf of his countless victims."
"El Mayo" also faces a long list of charges in Texas, including kidnapping, torture and murder. According to a 2012 court record reported by ABC 7 Chicago, he is accused of supervising three dozen cartel operatives connected to the kidnapping and murder of four people at a wedding 14 years ago, including the groom.
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