WASHINGTON—After decades of evading law enforcement, Ismael “Mayo” Zambada, the infamous Mexican drug lord, has been arrested in the United States. This arrest delivers a significant blow to the global drug trade.
Zambada, who started as a small-time dealer and rose to co-found the Sinaloa Cartel, had long been considered untouchable. He was captured along with Joaquín Guzmán López, son of the notorious 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 cartels worldwide, given his involvement in smuggling cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and fentanyl. A $15 million reward had been offered for information leading to his capture.
In 2021, the U.S. Department of State described Zambada as uniquely elusive, noting his remarkable ability to avoid capture and jail time despite a lifetime of high-profile international drug trafficking. Attorney Jeffrey Lichtman even 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 16 and had narrowly avoided capture by the Mexican military multiple times. His arrest marks a major victory in the fight against international drug trafficking.