How the leader of the Sinaloa cartel fell into prison, what lured him

2024-07-27 10:05:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

How the leader of the Sinaloa cartel fell into prison, what lured him

Ismael Zambada Garcia, better known as "El Mayo" and Joaquin Guzman Lopez

Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada is one of the most notorious names in the history of drug trafficking, synonymous with formidable power and immense influence in the world's most important drug cartel.

The last of a generation of drug cartel leaders, he created the Sinaloa Cartel along with Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman from the "remnants" of the Guadalajara Cartel.

But unlike his notorious partner who was imprisoned twice and escaped, El Mayo eluded capture for some 35 years. US authorities arrested him on Thursday in El Paso, Texas, the BBC reports.

He was lured to the US as part of an elaborate operation organized by the son of his former partner, El Chapo. Joaquin Guzman Lopez, one of the heirs to El Chapo's operation, was arrested along with Zambada leading him to believe he was traveling to northern Mexico to look at potential properties for clandestine airstrips.

"Are you worried about getting caught by the authorities?". Zambada was interviewed in 2010 by the late Mexican journalist Julio Scherer García, who had traveled deep into the mountains for an unprecedented interview with the drug lord.

"The idea of ??being imprisoned causes me to panic," he said.

For someone who has been so careful over so many years, it seems remarkable that Zambada was cheated at the age of 76.

The arrests and possible plea deal between El Chapo's sons, known as Los Chapitos, and the US government - raise the question of who will take control of the Sinaloa cartel.

After El Chapo Guzman was arrested and extradited to the US in 2016, a round of bloodshed ensued as rival factions battled for control of territory, as well as battling rival drug gangs who sensed weakness.

Even more shocking and violent was the response of Sinaloa cartel members when their leader, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, was arrested in October 2019.

After he was arrested, hundreds of gunmen descended on the city of Culiacan and opened fire on civilian, police and military targets with .50-caliber weapons and rocket launchers. Eventually, authorities handed Ovidio Guzman back to his men to end the fighting. He was later re-arrested, extradited and is currently awaiting trial in a US prison.

The operation was planned for months. However, some reports say that the head of the drug cartel may have been deceived by those close to him.

“Fentanyl is the deadliest threat our country has ever faced. We will not rest until every single cartel leader, member and associate responsible for poisoning our communities is held accountable," US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a video message confirming the arrests.

Fentanyl overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 45. E

Both Los Chapitos and El Mayo have made billions from fentanyl, which is easy to produce and transport without the need for large coca plantations in the Andes as with cocaine production.

Experts say stopping fentanyl smuggling is virtually impossible. It's just too profitable for the cartels and too fragmented in Mexico's modern drug war landscape.

However, US law enforcement wants to damage the cartels that produce it, reduce their influence and, wherever possible, dismantle their leadership. /CNA