The powerful Sinaloa Cartel suffered a major blow with the arrest of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, one of its leaders and co-founder. This arrest was made possible by a surprising betrayal orchestrated by Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of the infamous Mexican kingpin “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera. Zambada, who had led the criminal organization for over four decades, was lured onto a plane under false pretenses by Guzmán López, only to find himself landing near El Paso, Texas, where U.S. law enforcement agents apprehended him.
This operation, which took place swiftly and without incident, marked the end of Zambada’s reign within the Sinaloa Cartel. Guzmán López, who is known for handling the cartel’s finances while maintaining a low profile, struck a deal that also included his brother Ovidio Guzmán López. The Guzmán brothers, collectively known as the “Chapitos,” were charged with orchestrating a transnational fentanyl trafficking operation into the United States. Ovidio had been extradited to the U.S. in 2023, following extensive indictments against him and his siblings.
The Sinaloa Cartel, described by U.S. officials as running the largest and most violent fentanyl trafficking operation globally, has a history of extreme violence and brutality. The “Chapitos” were notorious for their ruthless tactics, including feeding their victims to tigers. Ovidio Guzmán López, also known as “the Mouse,” had been captured in a violent sting in Culiacán, Mexico, in January 2023. Despite reports of his removal from detention, U.S. authorities confirmed that Ovidio remained in custody.
The joint operation by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI to capture Zambada had been in the works for months, with agents already involved in Ovidio Guzmán López’s case playing key roles. The arrests of Zambada and Guzmán López were described as a bold move initiated in recent days, although planning had been ongoing for quite some time. The collaboration between Zambada and “El Chapo” had previously fueled the cartel’s drug smuggling operations, but with Zambada’s arrest, a significant chapter in the cartel’s history has come to an end.
Zambada, who took over leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel after “El Chapo’s” capture in 2016, was known for his elusive nature and ability to evade capture. The arrests of these key figures have dealt a severe blow to the operations of the Sinaloa Cartel and reflect ongoing efforts by law enforcement to dismantle such criminal organizations. The intricate web of relationships and betrayals within the cartel world continues to shape the landscape of organized crime, with each arrest marking a significant milestone in the fight against drug trafficking and related offenses.
