Biden administration officials and U.S. lawmakers on Friday rejoiced at the arrests of two Sinaloa Cartel leaders, with one Republican lawmaker telling Fox News Digital it was a “win for the world.”
Ismael Zambada Garcia, also known as “El Mayo,” a co-founder of the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel, has been detained in El Paso, Texas, authorities announced Thursday.
Also detained was Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of the cartel’s other co-founder, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
Sinaloa Cartel co-founder “El Mayo” detained in US
“The Department of Justice has arrested two more alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the world’s most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations,” said U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Cartel co-founder Ismael Zambada Garcia, known as ‘El Mayo,’ and Joaquin Guzmán Lopez, the son of the other co-founder, were arrested today in El Paso, Texas.”
Zambada Garcia and now-imprisoned drug lord “El Chapo” founded the Sinaloa Cartel. Federal law enforcement sources told Fox News that Joaquin Guzman Lopez turned himself in to U.S. authorities, but El Mayo was arrested. The sources said Guzman Lopez made a deal with U.S. authorities to turn himself in against El Mayo.
Mexican drug lord Ismael Zambada Garcia, also known as “El Mayo,” co-founder of the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel, is in U.S. custody. (Left image: Procuraduria General de la Republica/Distribution via Reuters/File Photo I Right image: U.S. Department of State, via Associated Press)
Guzmán López boarded a private jet with El Mayo, but instead of heading to southern Mexico as El Mayo had intended, the plane headed north to El Paso, where the two were detained.
The Department of Justice had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of El Mayo. He currently faces charges related to drug trafficking and organized crime in the United States.
President Biden welcomed the two arrests, calling them a victory in the fight against illicit fentanyl, which is primarily manufactured in Mexico and smuggled across the southern land border.
“I commend the law enforcement officers who made this arrest as part of our ongoing efforts to bring leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel to justice,” Biden said.
“Far too many Americans have lost their lives to the fentanyl scourge. Too many families have been torn apart and suffered because of this devastating drug. My Administration will continue to do all we can to hold deadly drug traffickers accountable and save American lives.”
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These images provided by the U.S. State Department show Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, left, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of another notorious cartel leader, after their arrest by U.S. authorities in Texas, Thursday, July 25, 2024. (U.S. Department of State via Associated Press)
Rep. Tony Gonzalez, a Texas Republican who represents a district along the southern border, told Fox News Digital that it was a “huge win for the world and of course for America.”
“I can’t thank the FBI, DEA and HSI agents enough, and I can also say this isn’t the fault of bureaucrats in Washington. This is just good, old-fashioned on-the-ground investigation,” he said.
“And I think this is something that gets forgotten right now in all the political discussion, but we have men and women in these agencies that go to work every day, and I’m just grateful.”
But Gonzalez also warned of a potential power vacuum that could result after the arrests.
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“The reality is that every time something like this happens, the organization breaks into smaller pieces and can become even more ruthless than before. So we have to look at things from the perspective of, ‘This is a good thing, but how do we prepare?'” Gonzalez said.
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He said he was on a call with Justice Department officials about whether additional resources or action was needed.
“It’s not all smooth sailing, but this is very positive. But we have to prepare for the reality that there is going to be a vacuum in the leadership of these criminal organisations,” he said.
Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
