Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, the leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel, is set to be arraigned in New York on Friday. He faces a 17-count indictment that includes charges of narcotics trafficking and murder. Zambada has been sought by American law enforcement for over two decades and has been in U.S. custody since July 25th when he arrived at an airport near El Paso alongside another fugitive cartel leader, Joaquín Guzmán López.
According to federal authorities, Zambada claimed in a letter that he was forcibly kidnapped in Mexico and brought to the U.S. by Guzmán López, who is the son of imprisoned Sinaloa co-founder Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Prosecutors in Brooklyn have requested that Zambada be detained indefinitely while awaiting trial. If convicted on all charges, the 76-year-old could face life imprisonment or even the death penalty.
In a letter to the judge, prosecutors described Zambada as one of the world’s most notorious and dangerous drug traffickers. They highlighted his use of military-grade weapons for personal protection and safeguarding his drug empire. Additionally, they mentioned his private security forces acting as bodyguards and protecting drug shipments across multiple countries.
Prosecutors also alleged that Zambada employed hitmen known as ”sicarios” who carried out brutal assassinations and kidnappings to maintain discipline within his organization and eliminate threats from rivals or potential informants. They even claimed that he ordered the recent murder o
