Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a notorious co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, was allegedly “forcibly kidnapped” by Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of former cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
According to Zambada’s defence lawyer, Frank Perez, Guzman Lopez and six men in military uniforms ambushed Zambada near Culiacan, Sinaloa state, Mexico. They reportedly forced him onto a plane bound for the United States, where both men are now detained.
Perez stated that the abduction left Zambada with back and leg issues, requiring him to appear in a wheelchair during his initial court hearing in El Paso, Texas, on Friday. Zambada pleaded not guilty to drug charges in the federal court.
When asked about Perez’s assertion, Guzman Lopez’s defence lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, declined to comment, noting that Zambada is free to use any defence he deems appropriate.
The U.S. Department of Justice and Mexico’s presidency have not responded to requests for comment. However, U.S. officials briefed on the operation have not corroborated the use of force by Guzman Lopez.
It was reported that Guzman Lopez, intending to surrender to authorities, tricked Zambada into boarding a plane under the pretense of viewing real estate in northern Mexico. Instead, the plane landed near El Paso, where U.S. federal agents detained the two men.
This operation marks a significant achievement for U.S. authorities and could reshape the Mexican criminal landscape. Zambada, in his late 70s, has had a turbulent relationship with El Chapo’s sons since their father’s extradition to the United States in 2017. El Chapo is currently serving a life sentence in a maximum-security prison in Colorado.
Guzman Lopez is expected to appear in federal court in Chicago next week, facing drug trafficking and money laundering charges, while Zambada is due back in court on Thursday.
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