Alleged Mexico drug kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada pleaded not guilty to US drug trafficking charges. His arrest, along with a son of another prominent Mexican drug lord, marks a significant achievement for US law enforcement. This could usher in a seismic shift to Mexico’s criminal landscape.
Court records showed that Zambada on Friday waived his right to appear personally in court and directed that a not guilty plea be entered on his behalf. #MexicoDrugKingpin
He was ordered detained without bond and is scheduled to be arraigned before US Magistrate Judge Anne Berton next Wednesday, the records showed. His lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Zambada is one of the most consequential traffickers in Mexico’s history and co-founded the Sinaloa Cartel with Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who was extradited to the US in 2017 and is serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison.
Both Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez face multiple charges in the United States. They are accused of funneling huge quantities of fentanyl and other drugs. Fentanyl overdoses have surged, becoming the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45.
Mexico drug kingpin Zambada, believed to be in his 70s, was detained in El Paso. Guzman Lopez, in his 30s, was also detained. They were apprehended after landing in a private plane.
On Friday, US President Joe Biden heralded the arrests and vowed to continue combating drug trafficking. #MexicoDrugKingpin
“Too many of our citizens have lost their lives to the scourge of fentanyl. Too many families have been broken and are suffering because of this destructive drug,” he said in a statement.
