United States authorities have apprehended two top leaders of the Sinaloa drug cartel, marking a significant blow to one of Mexico's most notorious criminal organizations. Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, co-founder of the cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of infamous drug lord "El Chapo" Guzman, were arrested in El Paso, Texas, on Thursday. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that both men are facing multiple charges related to leading the cartel's extensive drug trafficking operations, including the production and trafficking of deadly fentanyl.
"El Mayo and Guzman Lopez are now among the key Sinaloa Cartel figures being held accountable by the Justice Department in the United States," Garland stated in a release.
Ismael Zambada, a longtime fugitive wanted by both U.S. and Mexican authorities, faces numerous federal indictments for his alleged pivotal role in the cartel's operations. His co-founder, El Chapo, was extradited to the U.S. in 2017 and subsequently convicted in 2019, receiving a life sentence.
"FBI and DEA agents have arrested two alleged cartel leaders who have evaded 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," stated Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray.
According to Wray, Garcia and Guzman Lopez are accused of overseeing the trafficking of large quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States, contributing to significant violence associated with the cartel's operations.
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