Ismael Zambada Garcia, known as "El Mayo," co-founder of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, was taken into custody in El Paso, Texas on Thursday. The arrest, announced by the U.S. Department of Justice, also included Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of the cartel's other co-founder, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland described the arrests as a major victory against "one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world." The capture of El Mayo, for whom the DOJ had offered a $15 million reward, marks the end of decades-long evasion of law enforcement, Fox News reported.

According to a federal law enforcement source, the arrests unfolded in a dramatic fashion. Guzman Lopez reportedly surrendered to U.S. authorities and facilitated El Mayo's capture. In a twist of events, El Mayo boarded a private plane expecting to fly to Mexico, only to be redirected to El Paso where both men were apprehended.

FBI Director Christopher Wray emphasized the significance of the arrests, stating, "Garcia and Guzman have allegedly overseen the trafficking of tens of thousands of pounds of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the U.S. along with related violence."

El Mayo faces numerous indictments in the United States for crimes related to drug trafficking and organized crime. A recent superseding indictment, filed in February, charged him with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, which U.S. officials cite as the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45.

The indictment alleges that from 1999 to 2024, Zambada Garcia led a continuing enterprise responsible for importing and distributing massive quantities of narcotics, generating billions in profits. His operation allegedly employed "sicarios" or hit men to carry out kidnappings and murders in Mexico to protect the cartel's interests.

These arrests are part of a broader effort by the Justice Department to dismantle the Sinaloa Cartel. Other high-profile captures include El Chapo himself, another of his sons, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, and the cartel's alleged lead sicario, Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, known as "El Nini."

Attorney General Garland reiterated the Justice Department's commitment to combating the fentanyl crisis, stating, "Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, and the Justice Department will not rest until every single cartel leader, member, and associate responsible for poisoning our communities is held accountable."