WASHINGTON – Ismael “Mayo” Zambada, the notorious Mexican drug lord who had eluded law enforcement for decades, has finally been captured in the United States. His arrest marks a significant blow to the global drug trade.
Zambada, who went from a minor drug dealer to a co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, was considered nearly invincible in the criminal world due to his ability to avoid capture. He was taken into custody alongside Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who is currently serving a life sentence in the U.S.
The 76-year-old Zambada’s arrest has sent shockwaves through drug mafias worldwide, given his involvement in smuggling cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and fentanyl. A $15 million reward had been offered for information leading to his capture.
The U.S. Department of State had described Zambada in 2021 as uniquely elusive, noting that despite a lifetime of high-profile international drug trafficking, he had never been apprehended or served jail time. Attorney Jeffrey Lichtman alleged that Zambada bribed former Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto with $100 million. In 2017, Zambada narrowly escaped an attack by another Sinaloa Cartel leader.
In a 2010 interview with Mexican magazine Proceso, Zambada revealed that he began his criminal career at the age of 16 and had narrowly avoided capture by the Mexican military on multiple occasions. His capture represents a major victory in the fight against international drug trafficking.
