US authorities make major arrest of Mexican Sinaloa cartel leader in Texas

Two important leaders of Mexican drug cartels were arrested in El Paso, Texas, on Thursday, the Justice Department announced in a statement.

The pair have been identified as Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, an alleged leader of the Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of a different Sinaloa leader, referred to as "El Chapo." Zambada was known for running the cartel’s smuggling operations, but kept a low profile, according to the Associated Press.

Both men are facing multiple charges related to the cartel's drug schemes, including their fentanyl operations, which includes manufacturing and trafficking the drugs. 

“The Justice Department has taken into custody two additional alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world," Garland said in a statement. "El Mayo and Guzman Lopez join a growing list of Sinaloa Cartel leaders and associates who the Justice Department is holding accountable in the United States."

The pair are among a list of 28 cartel members that were charged by the U.S. with drug offenses, money laundering, murder, and other violent crimes last year.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.