Sinaloa Cartel Leader Arrested Following Betrayal by El Chapo's Son

Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a co-founder and leader of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, has been arrested in the United States, marking a significant blow to the organization he helped establish with Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera. Zambada's capture, which ends over four decades of his leadership, was facilitated by a betrayal from Joaquín Guzmán López, one of El Chapo's sons. According to sources, Guzmán López lured Zambada onto a plane under the pretense of inspecting property in Mexico, only for the flight to land in El Paso, Texas, where Zambada was apprehended by U.S. law enforcement. The arrest comes amid ongoing legal troubles for the Guzmán family, with Joaquín and his brother Ovidio facing serious charges related to a transnational fentanyl trafficking operation. Ovidio, known as "the Mouse," was extradited to the U.S. earlier this year after a violent capture in Mexico that resulted in numerous fatalities. The Guzmán brothers, collectively referred to as the "Chapitos," have been implicated in orchestrating some of the most violent acts associated with the cartel, including gruesome torture methods against rivals. The operation to capture Zambada had been in planning for several months, involving collaboration between the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. Zambada, who became the cartel's most senior leader after El Chapo's arrest in 2016, was known for his remarkable ability to evade law enforcement. His arrest represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing battle against the Sinaloa Cartel, which has been identified as a major player in the global fentanyl trade.