Quick Hit:

Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a notorious leader of the Sinaloa cartel, was captured in El Paso, Texas, alongside Joaquin Guzman Lopez. 

Key Details:

• Arrest Details: Zambada and Guzman Lopez were apprehended by U.S. federal agents after being lured onto a private plane under false pretenses.
• Charges and Impact: Zambada faces charges related to the production and distribution of fentanyl, highlighting his role in the opioid crisis devastating the U.S.
• Cartel Influence: The Sinaloa cartel, co-founded by Zambada and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, has been identified as the primary source of illicit drugs entering the U.S., particularly fentanyl.

Diving Deeper:

US federal agents have captured Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, the elusive leader of Mexico's infamous Sinaloa cartel, in El Paso, Texas. The 76-year-old drug lord was apprehended alongside Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, in a meticulously planned sting involving Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI.

The arrest is particularly significant as Zambada has long been considered one of the most powerful figures in the global drug trade. Alongside Guzman, who is currently serving a life sentence in the US, Zambada co-founded the Sinaloa cartel following the collapse of the Guadalajara cartel in the late 1980s. Despite Guzman's notoriety, many experts believe Zambada was the true mastermind behind the cartel's extensive operations.

Details surrounding the arrests remain somewhat unclear. However, reports from various sources, including the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, indicate that Zambada was deceived into boarding a plane by a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa cartel. Under the pretense of inspecting clandestine airfields in Mexico, Zambada was lured onto a private jet, which he believed would fly south within Mexico but instead landed in El Paso. Guzman Lopez, who is said to have orchestrated the ruse, surrendered to US authorities and reportedly turned on Zambada, allegedly blaming him for his father's capture.

The Sinaloa cartel, recognized as the largest supplier of illicit drugs to the United States, has been a primary focus of US law enforcement for decades. The DEA had offered a reward of up to $15 million for Zambada's capture.