Wia dis foto come from, Reuters/DEA
- Author, Max Matza & Will Grant, Mexico correspondent
- Role, BBC News
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US federal agents for El Paso, Texas don arrest one of di most powerful drug lords for di world, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, leader of Mexico Sinaloa cartel.
76-year-old Zambada, bin start di criminal organisation wit Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, wey currently dey for prison for America.
Dem arrest Zambada plus Guzman son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez on Thursday, di US justice department tok.
For February, US prosecutors bin charge Zambada wit conspiracy to make and distribute fentanyl, one drug wey dey more powerful pass heroin, wey dem blame for di opioid crisis for US.
How authorities take arrest di drug lord
Details of di arrest neva dey clear, but e be like say dem don carry dem go US.
According to Mexican and US officials, di Wall Street Journal report say na one high-ranking Sinaloa member trick Zambada enta di plane afta months of long operation by Homeland Security Investigations plus FBI.
Di paper add say Zambada bin think say im dey go inspect secret airfields for Mexico.
Officials say Guzman Lopez bin “lure” Zambada to enta di private plane under “false pretences” di New York Times report.
Zambada bin believe say di plane go fly go south for Mexico but instead e fly go north and land for El Paso, Fox News Correspondent Bryan Llenas tok as e cite law enforcement sources.
Guzman Lopez surrender to US authorities and betray Zambada because e “blame Mayo for di capture of im father”, Mr Llenas add.
For one written statement on Thursday evening, US Attorney General Merrick Garland tok say di two men lead “one of di most violent and powerful drug trafficking organisations for di world”.
“Fentanyl na di deadliest drug threat our kontri don ever face, and di Justice Department no go rest until dem hold every single cartel leader, member and associate wey dey responsible for poisoning our communities accountable,” e add.
American prosecutors say di Sinaloa cartel na di biggest supplier of drugs to di US.
US authorities bin don previously note say fentanyl na di leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 45.
Di US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) bin don offer reward of up to $15m (£12m) to anyone wey go help dem capture Zambada.
During Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman trial for 2019, im lawyers bin accuse Zambada say e bribe di “entire” Mexican government in exchange for living openly without fear of prosecution.
“In truth [Guzman] no dey control anytin,” Guzman lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, bin tell di jurors. Na “Mayo Zambada dey in control,” e claim.
Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada: Profile
Zambada bin follow establish di Sinaloa cartel wen di Guadalajara cartel bin collapse for di end of di 1980s.
Im leadership of di criminal empire don stand kampe for di face of changing presidents for Mexico and di US, for di middle of repeated anti-drug attacks from different governments and constant efforts by im enemies for oda drug-trafficking organisations to bring am down.
Dis no be ordinary achievement for di violent, dangerous and treacherous underworld wia e take dey operate as very powerful kingpin for many years.
Yet e be like say dat ogbonge journey don end for El Paso, Texas – one city wey di synthetic opioid, fentanyl don destroy sake of wetin im organisation dey smuggle.
According to di US state department, Zambada na also di owner of several legitimate businesses for Mexico, including “one large milk company, one bus line and one hotel”, plus real estate assets.
Alongside fentanyl charges, e also dey face charges for di US wey range from drug trafficking, murder, kidnapping, money laundering and organised crime.