EL PASO, USA: The FBI has arrested Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of the infamous Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, in El Paso, Texas.
The arrest was confirmed by the Justice Department and marks a notable success in the ongoing battle against drug trafficking.
Ismael Zambada, a co-founder and leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, has been a fugitive for years. He was indicted in February 2024 in Brooklyn on charges related to fentanyl trafficking and other crimes. The U.S. State Department had previously offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture, which was later increased to $15 million by the DEA. Zambada’s arrest represents a crucial blow to one of the world’s most notorious drug trafficking organizations.
Joaquin Guzman Lopez, one of El Chapo’s 12 children, also faced arrest. Known for his involvement in the cartel’s operations, Lopez was first indicted in 2018 and has been linked to multiple drug trafficking charges since. His arrest, alongside Zambada, underscores the ongoing efforts to dismantle the Sinaloa Cartel’s leadership.
The Sinaloa Cartel, which has been active since the 1980s, is infamous for its violent and expansive drug trafficking operations. Following El Chapo’s capture and subsequent life sentence in 2016, Zambada and Lopez took prominent roles in continuing the cartel’s activities. The cartel has been heavily involved in manufacturing and trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, drugs that have significantly contributed to the opioid crisis in the U.S.
The arrests of Zambada and Lopez are seen as a critical step in combating the flow of illegal drugs into the United States and addressing the violence associated with drug trafficking. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram highlighted the importance of these arrests in disrupting the cartel’s operations and reducing drug-related harm across the country.
With these arrests, federal authorities aim to weaken the cartel’s influence and address the broader impacts of its criminal activities. The investigation into the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations and its leadership continues, with significant attention focused on the cartel’s impact on both sides of the border.
Sinaloa, Drug Cartel, Figures, Arrested, El Paso
