The son of jailed Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera—who has been serving a life sentence in the US since 2019—was arrested together with a cartel co-founder who helped lead it for 3 many years on Thursday, July 25, by the FBI, federal authorities introduced.

Joaquín Guzmán López, 38, and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García, 76, have each been indicted in the U.S., they usually face “multiple charges” in reference to the Mexico-based legal group, “including its deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks,” mentioned Attorney General Merrick Garland in an announcement.

In the wake of the shock arrests of two alleged Mexican drug lords in Texas, three legislation enforcement officers say that investigators imagine one of many males might have fooled the opposite into getting on a airplane to the U.S. The Wall Street Journal reported that Zambada was tricked into boarding the airplane by a high-ranking Sinaloa member following a months-long operation by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI.

U.S. authorities say they’ve arrested two of essentially the most highly effective drug traffickers in the world, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a long-time chief of a significant Mexican cartel and Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of “El Chapo.” Both males are in custody in El Paso, Texas. pic.twitter.com/Nubwe6L8t9

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) July 26, 2024

Guzmán was flown by authorities to Chicago, whereas Zambada remained in El Paso.

The notorious drug trafficker, one of many three founders and, till now, chief of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, appeared in court docket in El Paso on Friday for an preliminary look. He entered a not responsible plea and waived his arraignment and detention hearings, based on court docket data.

It is an unprecedented blow to 2 of essentially the most needed drug traffickers in the world, accused of extortion, corruption, drug trafficking, and cash laundering.

Zambada was indicted in Brooklyn in February for fentanyl trafficking, amongst different fees, and each males are going through a number of fees in the U.S. for main the cartel’s legal operations, together with its lethal fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks.

“Garcia and Guzman have allegedly overseen the trafficking of tens of thousands of pounds of drugs into the United States, along with related violence,” FBI Director Christopher Wray mentioned in an announcement.

Lopez is one in all El Chapo’s 12 kids, 4 of whom go by the nickname “Los Chapitos” as a result of they’re accused of being closely concerned in Sinaloa’s operations. Lopez was first indicted on federal drug trafficking fees in 2018 and has had a number of fees since then.

President Joe Biden on Friday recommended legislation enforcement for making the arrests and “their work to bring Sinaloa Cartel leaders to justice.”