Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, alleged cofounder of the Sinaloa cartel, appeared in a Texas federal court on Thursday following his arrest a week ago. The case involves one of the world’s most notorious drug trafficking organisations.
During a brief seven-minute hearing, both the prosecution and defence requested a 30-day extension to gather more evidence, which the judge approved. Zambada, aged 76, pleaded not guilty on 26 July to seven federal charges, including continuing criminal enterprise and money laundering. He was detained the previous day in El Paso with Joaquín Guzmán López, the 38-year-old son of cartel founder Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
Zambada, wearing a blue hoodie and orange socks, arrived in court in a wheelchair. Outside, security was tight with federal agents and bomb-sniffing dogs patrolling the area.
The arrest of Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada this week comes on the heels of @RealTomHoman who made a statement that the Mexican cartels will be designated as a terrorist organization come January 20TH 2025.@RealTomHoman who will head the Trump administration… pic.twitter.com/rqMhPB195b
— hernando arce (@hernandoarce) July 27, 2024
Multiple US attorneys are vying to be the first to prosecute Zambada, who is currently held by US Marshals at an undisclosed location due to security concerns. Indictments have been filed against him in New York, California, Texas, Illinois, and Washington, DC. The US Justice Department will decide which jurisdiction will try him first. None of the US attorney’s offices commented on the matter on Thursday.
Such jurisdictional disputes are common and often require the Justice Department to mediate. The final decision will come from the Deputy Attorney General’s office in the next few weeks about Sinaloa cartel.
Experts caution that capturing cartel leaders may not reduce drug flow or violence in Mexico and could potentially worsen the situation. However, information obtained from Zambada could be invaluable to US authorities.
US Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Anne Milgram stated that the arrests target the heart of the cartel responsible for many drug-related deaths in the US. Authorities allege Guzmán López tricked Zambada into flying to the US under the guise of a real estate trip to northern Mexico. The plane landed north of the border, where US law enforcement awaited them.
Guzmán López, however, has not cooperated with US officials, according to his attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman. After pleading not guilty in Chicago to narcotics, money laundering, and firearms charges, Lichtman’s statement raised questions about Guzmán López’s motives for flying to Texas.
Zambada’s lawyer, Frank Pérez, claims his client was forcibly kidnapped by Guzmán López and others dressed in military uniforms. Pérez described a violent abduction and forced transport to the US.
Zambada and Guzmán López have evaded law enforcement for years. The US government increased the reward for Zambada’s capture to $15 million in 2021. Zambada has been involved in drug trafficking his whole adult life without ever serving jail time, according to the FBI.
The Eastern District of New York, which convicted El Chapo in 2019, is considered a strong candidate for Zambada’s prosecution due to its established infrastructure and success in previous cartel cases.
In Washington, DC, Rubén Oseguera González, linked to the rival Jalisco New Generation Cartel, is facing trial after withdrawing from a plea agreement.
Zambada’s next court date is set for 9 September at 1 p.m. local time.
The Sinaloa cartel, also notorious for dealing in cocaine, has played a significant role in Mexico’s decades-long drug war, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. In the early 2010s, the cartel was estimated to control 40% to 60% of Mexico’s drug trade, earning up to $3 billion annually.
US officials limited briefings to Mexican counterparts before the arrests due to concerns about operational security. Details were tightly controlled until Zambada and Guzmán López were in custody.
Founded in the late 1980s by El Chapo, the Sinaloa cartel has been marked by internal power struggles. With Zambada’s capture, the potential for increased violence within the cartel and other criminal organisations in Mexico is high.
El Chapo, who escaped Mexican prisons twice, was extradited to the US in 2017 and is serving a life sentence for various charges, including drug trafficking and conspiracy to commit murder.
Several CNN journalists contributed to this report.