Antwerp (The Brussels Morning Newspaper): Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel was arrested in El Paso after being misled into boarding a plane from Mexico. He faces multiple drug trafficking charges including fentany distribution.
On 25 July, Thursday afternoon at Santa Teresa Airport in El Paso a Beechcraft King Air landed and two men Ismael Zambada (El Mayo) and Joaquin Guzman-Lopez, were swiftly arrested by waiting police officers. Zambada a 76-year-old legendary drug lord from the Sinaloa Cartel was tricked into the arrest. He believed he was boarding a plane in Mexico to check new smuggling routes but was instead flown to the US due to a deal made by Guzman-Lopez with US authorities. Zambada in contrast to other flashy drug lords has always maintained a low profile and has never been imprisoned.
What led to the downfall of Sinaloa Cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ Zambada?
El Mayo started out as a farmer in Sinaloa, Mexico. He joined the Juarez Cartel in the 1980s and 1990s. After the leader of the Juarez Cartel died El Mayo formed his own group. They focused on making and selling heroin to the US.Later on Mexican cartels switched to smuggling cocaine from Colombia to the US. They also started making methamphetamine and Fentanyl. El Mayo’s group became the Sinaloa Cartel. He worked closely with Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman who was caught and sent to the US in 2017. Recently El Mayo has faced losses. The US and Mexican governments arrested many of his family members. Some of them cooperated with the US to get lighter sentences giving information about El Chapo and El Mayo.
He kinda stepped into the spotlight back in 2010 when his picture showed up on a magazine cover which was totally out of character for him. He even gave an interview which was rare. But then he kinda went back to laying low. When his partner El Chapo got locked up El Mayo took charge of the cartel. In 2017 he survived an attack by a rival cartel leader which seemed to be linked to some internal power struggles after El Chapo’s arrest. The rival leader got caught not long after in Mexico City. This left El Mayo at the top of the Sinaloa Cartel, along with El Chapo’s sons known as the “Chapitos.” They also got involved in some money laundering stuff across the country as per a U.S. Treasury Department investigation.
How has ‘EI Mayo’ Zambada maintained power and evaded capture for decades within the Sinaloa Cartel?
El Mayo has been doing his thing from the Golden Triangle area a spot where Sinaloa Durango, and Chihuahua states meet. His crew has deep ties in the local communities there and even provide basic services. They have armed groups like the Rusos and Anthrax in Sonora, Baja California and Sinaloa to control border access. Partnering up with El Chapo’s sons has made the Sinaloa cartel a big player. El Mayo has expanded his influence with help from his government connections stretching from the U.S. border to Guatemala. Despite all this he’s never been in prison.The U.S. put out a $5 million reward in 2004 for information on him which was upped to $15 million in 2021.
