Top Leaders of Sinaloa Drug Cartel Captured in U.S. Operation

 Top Leaders of Sinaloa Drug Cartel Captured in U.S. Operation

Syndicated investigating reporter, Michael Webster

WASHINGTON -- In a major victory against organized crime, two prominent leaders of the notorious Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel have been apprehended by United States authorities. Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a co-founder of the cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, were taken into custody in El Paso, Texas, according to an announcement from Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday.

The Department of Justice has charged both men with leading the cartel's extensive drug trafficking operations, particularly its lethal fentanyl production and distribution networks. "El Mayo and Guzman Lopez join a growing list of Sinaloa Cartel leaders and associates who the Justice Department is holding accountable in the United States," Garland stated.

Zambada has been a fugitive for years, facing numerous federal indictments related to his alleged leadership role in the cartel. His counterpart, "El Chapo," was extradited to the U.S. in 2017, convicted in 2019, and sentenced to life in prison.

FBI Director Christopher Wray remarked on the significance of these arrests: "Today, the FBI and DEA arrested two alleged cartel leaders who have eluded law enforcement for decades. Ismael Mario 'El Mayo' Zambada García and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of El Chapo, will now face justice in the United States." Wray emphasized their involvement in trafficking massive quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the U.S., contributing to widespread violence.

The arrests were the culmination of an operation that ended on U.S. soil, where FBI agents apprehended the men at an airstrip near El Paso. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrator Anne Milgram underscored the impact of Zambada's capture: "The arrest of Ismael Zambada García, better known as 'El Mayo,' strikes at the heart of the cartel responsible for the majority of drugs killing Americans from coast to coast."

Guzman Lopez, arrested alongside Zambada, represents another significant blow to the cartel. Following his father’s extradition, Guzman Lopez, along with his brothers, allegedly took over the cartel's operations. His brother, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, was captured by Mexican forces in January 2023 after a dramatic confrontation in Culiacán, Sinaloa.

The U.S. government had previously offered a $15 million reward for information leading to Zambada's arrest and conviction. The Sinaloa cartel has long been implicated in fueling the U.S. fentanyl crisis, utilizing precursor chemicals from China to manufacture the deadly drug. Guzman Lopez's capture is seen as a critical step in dismantling the cartel's operations and reducing the flow of dangerous substances into the United States.

With these high-profile arrests, U.S. authorities reaffirm their commitment to dismantling violent transnational criminal organizations and seeking justice for the countless lives impacted by the Sinaloa cartel's activities.