“El Mayo” Head of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and “El Chapo’s” Son Arrested In Texas

Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas on Thursday, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Zambada co-funded the Sinaloa Cartel with El Chapo and has been his leader since the druglord was extradited to the U.S. in 2017. El Chapo is now serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison.

Three former and current U.S. officials familiar with the operation told Reuters that one of El Chapo’s sons, Joaquín Guzmán López, lured Zambada to the U.S. where both were arrested.

The arrests took place when Zambada, believed to be in his 70s, and Guzman Lopez, in his 30s, landed in a private plane in the El Paso area

Another Mexican official told the Associated Press that both arrived in the U.S. and turned themselves in to authorities. Mexican officials released a statement where they said they were not involved in the operation.

Both Zambada and Guzman Lopez face numerous charges in the U.S. for smuggling large quantities of fentanyl and other drugs, substances that have caused a surge in overdose deaths among Americans.

“Too many of our citizens have lost their lives to the scourge of fentanyl. Too many families have been broken and are suffering because of this destructive drug,” President Joe Biden said in a statement, while praising the arrests and vowing to continue fighting drug trafficking.

The arrests were part of a coordinated effort by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. A worker at a Santa Teresa airport near El Paso described the arrest scene as calm and organized, with federal agents waiting as the plane landed.

Zambada and Guzman Lopez had substantial bounties on their heads, with U.S. authorities offering $15 million for Zambada and $5 million for Guzman Lopez. The Sinaloa Cartel, which traffics drugs to over 50 countries, is one of Mexico’s most powerful organized crime groups.

Zambada is considered an “old-school” narco, known for his low profile, while El Chapo’s sons, known as “Los Chapitos” are notorious for their flashy and violent behavior.

In recent years, U.S. authorities have issued new indictments against Zambada and Los Chapitos, focusing on fentanyl smuggling and the flow of precursor chemicals to their labs. The cartel has established sophisticated supply chains to move drugs globally and source chemicals for their operations.

The arrest is an important blow to the Sinaloa Cartel, but, according to Mike Vigil, former head of international operations for the DEA, it is unlikely to have much impact on the flow of drugs to the U.S.

“This is a great blow for the rule of law, but is it going to have an impact on the cartel? I don’t think so,” Vigil told the AP.

“It’s not going to have a dent on the drug trade because somebody from within the cartel is going to replace him,” he said.