Explosive new details have surfaced in the plea hearing of Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of former cartel boss Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, revealing how elusive Sinaloa cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was allegedly abducted and delivered to U.S. authorities in 2024.
According to prosecutors, Guzman Lopez orchestrated an ambush in which armed men entered through a window, seized Zambada, and forced him onto a plane. He was reportedly zip tied, drugged with sedatives, and flown across the border to New Mexico, before being handed over to U.S. authorities.
Guzman Lopez, 39, pleaded guilty in federal court in Chicago to two counts of drug trafficking and continuing criminal enterprise, admitting his role in overseeing the transport of tens of thousands of kilograms of narcotics into the United States.
While the plea agreement did not name Zambada directly, his lawyer previously shared a letter in which Zambada described being lured to a meeting with Guzman Lopez near Culiacan, where armed men in military-style uniforms carried out the abduction. One local politician present at the meeting was later found dead.
U.S. attorney Andrew Erskine told the court that the alleged kidnapping was an unsanctioned attempt by Guzman Lopez to demonstrate cooperation with Washington, stressing that he would not receive credit for it.
The arrests of both traffickers sparked outrage from then-Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who suspected U.S. involvement. Washington denied orchestrating the operation, though experts argued it would have been nearly impossible without U.S. knowledge.
The revelations highlight the deep rivalries within the Sinaloa cartel, particularly between Zambada and the faction led by “Los Chapitos”, El Chapo’s sons, with whom he maintained cautious communication despite their competing interests.
+ There are no comments
Add yours