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The United States DEA made a significant arrest in their ongoing war against the Mexican cartels.
On Thursday night, the Justice Department announced that the DEA and the FBI had arrested El Chapo’s son Joaquin Guzman Lopez and Ismael Zambada Garcia, better known as “El Mayo.”
According to the Justice Department, the two men are the leaders of the famed Sinaloa Cartel and will face multiple trafficking charges.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on Arrests of Alleged Leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel Ismael Zambada Garcia (El Mayo) and Joaquin Guzman Lopez
🔗: https://t.co/LumvDMKx2F pic.twitter.com/Wcm20MLrhC
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) July 26, 2024
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on the arrests of alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael Zambada Garcia (El Mayo) and Joaquin Guzman Lopez:
“The Justice Department has taken into custody two additional alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world. Ismael Zambada Garcia, or “El Mayo,” cofounder of the Cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of its other cofounder, were arrested today in El Paso, Texas.
Both men are facing multiple charges in the United States for leading the Cartel’s criminal operations, including its deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks.
A social media video from journalist Andra Litton shows how Lopez and El Mayo being arrested at the Santa Teresa International airport in Texas.
NEW: Sinaloa Cartel leader “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, who is El Chapo’s son, were taken into custody at the Santa Teresa (NM) airport around 4pm this afternoon. They are facing charges relating to their alleged fentanyl trafficking operation. @KTSMtv pic.twitter.com/vPTADLsxdc
— andra litton (@tornandra) July 26, 2024
FBI director Christopher Wray released a statement following the arrest.
“Garcia and Guzman have allegedly overseen the trafficking of tens of thousands of pounds of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the US along with related violence.”
“These arrests are an example of the FBI’s and our partners commitment to dismantling violent transnational criminal organisations like the Sinaloa Cartel.”
According to journalist Luis Chaparro, “El Mayo” and Guzman had agreed to a plea deal in exchange for their arrests.
Hearing from sources a Texas based group of attorneys helped break a deal between El Mayo and US authorities.
The same offer was handed to the rest of Los Chapitos and Mayito Flaco at the same meeting a few weeks ago. Only El Mayo and Joaquín Guzmán agreed.— Luis Chaparro (@LuisKuryaki) July 26, 2024