Borderland Beat Contributors
Zeta Tijuana and Proceso reports that Mayo Zambada has been captured in El Paso, Texas.
No US agency has confirmed the arrest.
Unverified sources allege the arrest was carried out by the FBI, rather than the DEA.
Reuters writes that “sources” say that Mayo is in custody.
There are completely unverified claims (additional source) that Mayo was arrested alongside Joaquin Guzman Lopez, from Los Chapitos.
There are similar completely unverified claims that Mayo had been arrested earlier alongside his son Mayito Flaco and Mayo made a deal to turn himself in if Mayito Flaco was let go.
Live Updates
6:55 pm
Zeta Tijuana is now reporting that Joaquin Guzman Lopez, brother of Ovidio Guzman, member of Los Chapitos, was also arrested in Texas.
7:00 pm
They report that Mayo and Joaquin were on the same plane which landed at a private airport in El Paso, Texas. It seems clear that this double arrest is the drug lords choosing to give themselves over to the US. The exact reason why is as yet unclear.
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| Santa Teresa airpot in New Mexico, Photos from KTSM |
7:26 pm
The private airport in New Mexico that the plane landed at is reportedly Santa Teresa, according to KTSM.
Completely unverified reports of Mayo being “kidnapped” by a US agency without Mexico’s knowledge.
7:30 pm
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US Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the arrests of “El Mayo” and Joaquin Guzman Lopez on July 25, 2024.
“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. Ismael Zambada Garcia, or “El Mayo,” cofounder of the Cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of its other cofounder, were arrested today in El Paso, Texas.
Both men are facing multiple charges in the United States for leading the Cartel’s criminal operations, including its deadly fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking networks.
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7:38 pm
A Borderland Beat contributor spoke with an employee of Sun City Skydive, a skydiving business that uses the Santa Teresa airport (8100 Airport Rd Santa Teresa, New Mexico), and they confirmed on the phone that an operation occurred there.
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7:50 pm
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| This is possibly the plane they arrived on, photographed by KTSM. |
“Mexican drug kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was arrested by U.S. agents Thursday after a high-ranking Sinaloa cartel member tricked him into flying to Texas, Mexican and U.S. officials said.
Joaquín Guzmán López, the son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, was on the same plane and also arrested, a Homeland Security Investigations official said.”
