US arrests top leaders of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel in Texas

Two top leaders of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel, including its co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada Garcia and the son of its other co-founder Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, were arrested on Thursday in Texas, the United States Department of Justice said.

Announcing their arrests in a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland referred to the cartel as "one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world".

The pair face "multiple charges in the United States for leading the cartel's criminal operations, including its deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks," Garland said.

The arrests are another major blow to the Sinaloa cartel, whose co-founder "El Chapo" is serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison in the US, AFP reported.

After El Chapo's capture, several of his sons, collectively known as the "Chapitos" or "The Little Chapos," inherited control of the organisation, according to the US authorities.

One son, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, was extradited to the US last year to face narcotics charges.

Zambada, who co-founded the cartel, is "one of the most storied drug traffickers in Mexican history."

It said the cartel "has forged connections at the highest levels of Mexico's federal police and military, and has bribed members of both institutions to maintain an advantage over rival organizations."

The 76-year-old Zambada is believed to have never served time in prison, and US authorities have been after him for decades.

"He is known primarily for maintaining a low profile and a focus on business over violence. In addition, he is one of the few old-guard bosses who has managed to evade justice throughout his criminal career," InSight Crime said before his detention.

The US had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

Victims of the cartels' ultra-violent turf wars include rival gang members, security personnel and journalists, who are among more than 450,000 people murdered since the government launched a military offensive against drug cartels in 2006.

The US saw more than 107,000 drug overdose deaths in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fentanyl accounted for about 70% of them.

"Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced," Garland added in his statement. "The Justice Department will not rest until every single cartel leader, member, and associate responsible for poisoning our communities is held accountable."