Betrayal and Capture: The Fall of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and The Sinanola Cartel

Mica for cartelinsider.com

In a significant operation on Thursday, U.S. agents successfully apprehended Mexican drug kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. The arrest followed a cunning deception by a high-ranking Sinaloa cartel member who tricked Zambada into boarding a flight to Texas, as reported by officials from both Mexico and the U.S.

Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of the notorious Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, was also on the plane and was detained upon arrival, according to a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) official.

The 76-year-old Zambada, who co-founded the Sinaloa cartel over 30 years ago with El Chapo, is considered a leading figure in fentanyl smuggling operations into the United States.

Believing he was traveling to inspect secret airstrips in Mexico, Zambada was instead flown to El Paso, Texas, where he and Guzmán López were captured on the tarmac. The HSI official revealed that this operation had been meticulously planned for several months in coordination with the FBI. The U.S. had previously announced a $15 million reward for information that could lead to Zambada’s arrest.

This development marks another significant setback for the Sinaloa cartel, which has been under intense scrutiny by U.S. law enforcement. Earlier this year, in January 2023, Ovidio Guzmán, another son of El Chapo, was apprehended and subsequently extradited to the U.S., where he now faces drug trafficking charges. Additionally, Néstor Isidro “El Nini” Pérez Salas, a top enforcer for El Chapo’s offspring, was captured in November and extradited to the U.S. earlier this year.

El Chapo, renowned for his dramatic prison escapes, was extradited to the U.S. in 2017 and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2019.

In contrast to El Chapo’s high profile, Zambada maintained a low-key presence. Residents in Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa state and the cartel’s stronghold, viewed Zambada as a respected elder who kept order and safeguarded the city from rival factions.

Joaquín Guzmán López is one of four brothers, including Ovidio Guzmán, who collectively are known as “Los Chapitos.” Authorities describe them as major players in the fentanyl trade to the U.S., with Ovidio recognized as a pioneering figure in the industry.

Joaquín was still significant, though less prominent than his siblings, with a $5 million reward for his capture. He was regarded as the strategic mind behind the Chapitos’ financial activities, understanding the drug trade more profoundly than his more flamboyant brother, Ovidio, who was celebrated in “narco corridos,” or drug ballads, for his exploits.

In February, U.S. prosecutors indicted Zambada on charges of conspiring to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, knowing it would be illegally smuggled into the U.S. He had also faced previous charges for running a criminal enterprise, conspiracy to commit murder, money laundering, and other drug-related crimes.

“Fentanyl represents the deadliest drug threat our nation has ever faced. The Justice Department will pursue every cartel leader, member, and associate responsible for poisoning our communities until they are held accountable,” stated Attorney General Merrick Garland on Thursday.

Margarito Flores, a former Chicago liaison for Zambada and El Chapo, recounted that Zambada owned extensive farmland and cattle ranches in Sinaloa and had a passion for prize bulls. Flores, who now works with Dynamic Police Training after serving 12 years in prison, highlighted Zambada’s caution, noting that he avoided using cell phones and presented himself as a humble rancher.

Flores predicts that Zambada’s betrayal will likely incite violence, marking the decline of what was once the world’s most powerful criminal organization.

“I believe this signals the beginning of the end for the Sinaloa cartel,” Flores commented.

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Mica

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