According to the U.S. Justice Department, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a prominent figure in Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of another well-known cartel leader, were apprehended by U.S. authorities in Texas. Zambada, who has been a key leader of the Sinaloa cartel for many years alongside Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, was recognized for overseeing the cartel’s smuggling operations while maintaining a lower profile. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had offered a reward of up to $15 million for information leading to Zambada's capture.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, “The Justice Department has taken into custody two additional alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world.” The arrests took place in El Paso on Thursday. Zambada’s arrest comes after several significant apprehensions of other Sinaloa cartel members, including one of his sons and another associate of Guzmán.
