Alleged co-founder of Sinaloa cartel, son of El Chapo arrested in US



Two of the most powerful drug lords in the infamous Mexican drug-trafficking cartel Sinaloa have been arrested in New Mexico.

On Thursday, alleged Sinaloa co-founder Ismael Zambada Garcia, aka "El Mayo," and Joaquin Guzman Lopez — the son of the other Sinaloa co-founder, Joaquin Guzman Loera, aka "El Chapo" — were arrested at the Doña Ana County International Jetport in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, about 20 miles northwest of El Paso, Texas.

Journalist Luis Chaparro ... indicated in a recent Substack article that both alleged drug lords had basically turned themselves in.

Back in February, Zambada — who founded Sinaloa with El Chapo in the 1980s — was indicted for allegedly conspiring to make and distribute fentanyl. Despite his deep association with one of the most ruthless drug cartels in the world, Zambada "has never spent a day in jail," the State Department said.

That all changed this week when Zambada, 76, boarded a plane with Joaquin Guzman, 38, believing that the two were headed to inspect property somewhere in Mexico. However, Guzman had reportedly turned on Zambada recently, believing that Zambada was somehow involved in the capture of Guzman's father, El Chapo, who is currently serving life plus 30 years in a supermax prison in Colorado.

According to the New York Times, Guzman "lured" Zambada onto the aircraft "under false pretenses." The plane then headed for the U.S., where federal agents were waiting.

Both Zambada and Guzman surrendered to authorities at the New Mexico airport without incident and were taken away separately. "It seemed like a pretty calm, arranged thing," one unnamed airport employee told CNN. That observation matches reporting from journalist Luis Chaparro, who indicated in a recent Substack article that both alleged drug lords had basically turned themselves in.

Authorities transported Guzman to Chicago but kept Zambada in the area. He appeared at the El Paso Magistrate Courtroom on Friday.

Both face multiple charges in connection with the manufacture of fentanyl, drug trafficking, and "leading the Cartel’s criminal operations," a DOJ press release said.

"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," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

Drug Enforcement Administration chief Anne Milgram said the arrests of El Mayo and the son of El Chapo strike "at the heart of the cartel that is responsible for the majority of drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, killing Americans from coast to coast."

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Mexican cartel worked with US-based group linked to Chinese underground banking to launder drug money: DOJ



The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that a five-year investigation revealed that a Mexican cartel worked with a United States-based group linked to Chinese underground banking to launder drug trafficking money.

A press release from the DOJ stated that "Operation Fortune Runner" uncovered that a money laundering network connected to the Sinaloa drug cartel coordinated with a money transmitting group based in San Gabriel Valley, California, to process "large amounts of drug proceeds in U.S. currency in the Los Angeles area." According to federal authorities, the California-based group has ties to Chinese underground banking.

'A partnership between Sinaloa Cartel associates and a Chinese criminal syndicate operating in Los Angeles and China.'

The groups allegedly concealed the proceeds and made the funds available to the cartel's members in Mexico and elsewhere.

"The Justice Department today announced a 10-count superseding indictment charging Los Angeles-based associates of Mexico's Sinaloa drug cartel with conspiring with money-laundering groups linked to Chinese underground banking to launder drug trafficking proceeds. During the conspiracy, more than $50 million in drug proceeds flowed between the Sinaloa Cartel associates and Chinese underground money exchanges," the DOJ's press release read.

Chinese and Mexican law enforcement agencies arrested fugitives named in the DOJ's superseding indictment after they fled the U.S., the department stated. Twenty-four defendants are facing multiple charges, including "one count of conspiracy to aid and abet the distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business," the department reported.

Edgar Joel Martinez-Reyes, 45, of East Los Angeles, was accused of using numerous strategies to conceal the money's source, including trade-based money laundering schemes, "structuring" assets, and cryptocurrency.

The investigation resulted in the seizure of roughly $5 million in illicit drug proceeds, 302 pounds of cocaine, 92 pounds of methamphetamine, 3,000 Ecstasy pills, 44 pounds of psilocybin, ketamine, three rifles, and eight handguns.

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California stated, "Dangerous drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine are destroying people's lives but drug traffickers only care about their profits."

"To protect our community, therefore, it is essential that we go after the sophisticated, international criminal syndicates that launder the drug money," Estrada continued. "As this indictment and our international actions show, we will be dogged in our pursuit of all those who facilitate destruction in our country and make sure they are held accountable for their actions."

Drug Enforcement Administration administrator Anne Milgram explained that Mexican drug cartels are motivated by money and "responsible for the worst drug crisis in American history."

"This DEA investigation uncovered a partnership between Sinaloa Cartel associates and a Chinese criminal syndicate operating in Los Angeles and China to launder drug money. Laundering drug money gives the Sinaloa Cartel the means to produce and import their deadly poison into the United States," Milgram added.

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Biden Admin Announces Charges Against Notorious Mexican Cartel Leaders

'Deadliest drug threat'

War zone in Mexico: 30 die during arrest of El Chapo's son; video shows Sinaloa Cartel retaliate by burning city, shooting commercial airplanes, trying to kidnap doctors



Mexican authorities arrested the son of notorious Mexican drug cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman on Thursday. The Sinaloa drug cartel has retaliated by turning a city in Mexico into a fiery war zone.

Mission to arrest El Chapo's son

A significant Mexican military force swooped into the city of Culiacan to take Ovidio Guzman into custody. The Mexican army ordered Blackhawk helicopter gunships to attack a convoy of 25 cartel vehicles – some sporting machine guns.

Mexican law enforcement was able to arrest Guzman. However, 10 Mexican military personnel and one Culiacan policeman were killed during the operation, according to Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval. There were 17 police officers and 35 military personnel injured during the firefight. Authorities believe 19 members of the Sinaloa drug cartel died during the mission.

A Mexican military aircraft conducted a strafing run against Sinaloa Cartel members, according to The Drive.

\u201cWar has broken out between Mexican Defense Forces and the Sinaloa Cartel in Culiacan in response to the arrest of El Chapo\u2019s son.\n\nMore footage will be added in the thread below as it emerges.\u201d
— Libertarian Party Mises Caucus (@Libertarian Party Mises Caucus) 1672954902
\u201cThe son of imprisoned drug kingpin \u201cEl Chapo\u201d has been arrested by authorities in Mexico. The pre-dawn military operation sparked gunfights and roadblocks across the city where the Sinaloa drug cartel is headquartered. @mattriversabc reports. https://t.co/47JbkrfG9v\u201d
— World News Tonight (@World News Tonight) 1672977631
\u201cAeronaves de la Fuerza A\u00e9rea sobrevuelan la Ciudad de Culiacan en Sinaloa\u201d
— M\u00e9xico Aeroespacial y Defensa (@M\u00e9xico Aeroespacial y Defensa) 1672945924

Sinaloa cartel launches violent campaign to free Ovidio Guzman

The Sinaloa Cartel set the city of Culiacan on fire in an attempt to force Mexican authorities to free Guzman.

According to Fox News, "The violence became so heavy that Sinaloa Gov. Ruben Rocha said cartel members showed up at local hospitals attempting to kidnap doctors to take them back to the front lines and treat wounded fighters."

Rocha said, "It got to the point that at one moment, the doctors were saying, ‘We’re getting out of here.'"

El Pais reported, "Witnesses who spoke to El Pais paint a picture of terror, where packs of armed criminals, on motorcycles or on foot, played cat and mouse with the authorities. Roberto, a painter who left home shortly before 10 a.m. on Thursday, said the criminals seized his car at gunpoint: 'I don’t know what a war zone is like, but I think it’s the same thing,' he said."

The cartel set cars, buses, and tractor-trailers on fire as roadblocks across the city. The drug cartel blocked 19 roads and highways in Culiacan. The cartel wanted to prevent the Mexican military from transporting Guzman to the Culiacan airport.

Two military planes landed at the airport and deployed more troops to secure the airport.

Law enforcement was able to transport Guzman to the airport, but the cartel launched a last-ditch offensive. The Sinaloa Cartel shot at a military plane and a commercial airliner in an effort to stop Guzman from being flown out of the city.

The Aeromexico airliner attempted to take off from the runway, but was hit by gunfire. Passengers threw themselves to the floor of the plane to dodge the gunfire. The commercial airliner was forced to retreat to the terminal.

The New York Post reported that the plane's engine had been hit during the shooting, which caused a leak. None of the passengers were injured.

The Sinaloa Cartel grounded two military aircraft after the planes were hit with "a significant number of impacts," Sandoval said. The cartel soldiers were reportedly firing Barrett .50 caliber anti-materiel rifles at the planes.

\u201cSinaloa Cartel firing a .50 Cal Barrett anti-materiel rifle at a plane of the Mexican Air Force near the Culiac\u00e1n Airport following the arrest of El Chapo\u2019s son Ovidio\u201d
— Sara A. Carter (@Sara A. Carter) 1673019931
\u201cIn an act of terrorism, a war has broken out between Mexican Defense Forces and the Sinaloa Cartel in Culiacan in response to the arrest of El Chapo\u2019s son. Where the cartel has now been shooting at commercial airliners with 50-caliber weapons; some arguing provided by the ATF.\u201d
— Joshua Rodriguez (@Joshua Rodriguez) 1672959875

The U.S. wants Guzman

Mexican authorities snuck Guzman into a military helicopter and flew the 32-year-old drug kingpin to Mexico City. Guzman is reportedly in a maximum-security prison near Toluca.

"Guzman was indicted by the United States on drug trafficking charges in 2018. According to both governments, he had assumed a growing role among his brothers in carrying on their father’s business, along with long- time cartel boss Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada," according to CNBC.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard confirmed the Mexican government received a 2019 request from the United States for Guzman's arrest, and that the U.S. wants to extradite the suspected drug lord.

Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is serving a life sentence at a Colorado supermax federal prison after being convicted of criminal enterprise and cocaine distribution in 2019.

President Joe Biden is scheduled to travel to the southern border on Sunday – his first such visit since taking office. Biden is set to visit Mexico next week for the North American Leaders' Summit – which will include meetings with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Lopez Obrador.

'Bomb Sinaloa': GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz calls for bombing Sinaloa Cartel to tackle America's fentanyl problem



Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida issued a tweet on Wednesday calling for the U.S. to "Bomb Sinaloa" — he also noted that he was not joking.

The lawmaker made the comments when retweeting a post that included a video clip of him discussing the deadly drug fentanyl.

"It irks me every time I hear someone talk about fentanyl overdoses, because no one overdoses on fentanyl, because I don't think anybody really sets out to like score some fentanyl for a good time," he said in the clip. He later said, "it is not an overdose, it is a poisoning that happens."

Scott Adams, who is known for his "Dilbert" comic strip, disagreed with the lawmaker's assessment, tweeting, "Correction: Addicts do score Fentanyl directly for a high. But they tend to be 'pros' who have a better record handling it. The 'didn't know' crowd is at high risk."

\u201c@mattgaetz Correction: Addicts do score Fentanyl directly for a high. But they tend to be \u201cpros\u201d who have a better record handling it. The \u201cdidn\u2019t know\u201d crowd is at high risk.\u201d
— Matt Gaetz (@Matt Gaetz) 1663789644

A video on Gaetz's YouTube channel shows more of the congressman's comments — Gaetz suggested that the U.S. should "get tough on the border and even tougher on the Sinaloa Cartel."

Should America Drop Tomahawk Missiles on Cartel Mountains? www.youtube.com

The Sinaloa Cartel has been named by the U.S. government as one of the two cartels largely to blame for America's fentanyl problem.

"Fentanyl available in the United States is primarily supplied by two criminal drug networks, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)," the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration notes. "Many users believe that they are purchasing heroin and actually don’t know that they are purchasing fentanyl – which often results in overdose deaths. Clandestinely-produced fentanyl is primarily manufactured in Mexico," according to the DEA.

Some GOP lawmakers have backed legislation that would allow the distribution of fentanyl that leads to someone's death to be punishable as a felony murder charge.

"Criminals poisoning Americans with fentanyl should be treated the same as someone pulling the trigger of a gun," GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said, according to press releases. "If drug dealers and cartels push this deadly substance, they will face justice."

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Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's wife pleads guilty to charges she helped run Mexican drug kingpin's multibillion-dollar crime empire



The wife of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman pleaded guilty to charges, in which she admitted that she helped run the Mexican drug kingpin's multibillion-dollar crime empire. As part of a plea deal, Emma Coronel Aispuro pleaded guilty to three federal offenses in the United States.

In federal court in Washington on Thursday, the 31-year-old wife of El Chapo pleaded guilty to knowingly and willfully conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine for several years. Coronel Aispuro also pleaded guilty to a money-laundering conspiracy charge and to engaging in transactions with a foreign narcotics trafficker.

The former beauty queen wore a green prison uniform and white face covering while she accepted the conditions of her plea deal.

U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras asked Coronel Aispuro, "Are you entering this plea because you are guilty and for no other reason?"

Through a language interpreter, Coronel Aispuro accepted the guilty plea by responding in Spanish, "Si."

USA Today reported, "Prosecutors have alleged Coronel Aispuro 'worked closely with the command-and-control structure' of the Sinaloa cartel and conspired to distribute large quantities of drugs, knowing they would be smuggled into the U.S."

The prosecutor, Anthony Nardozzi, said Colonel Aispuro had "aided and abetted" the Sinaloa Cartel's efforts to import cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Nardozzi said El Chapo's wife "served as a go-between" to deliver messages to cartel members after her husband was arrested.

"The defendant aided and abetted the objectives of the Sinaloa Cartel," Nardozzi, Deputy Chief of Litigation at the Justice Department, told the court. "And it allowed Guzman to resume his leadership role at the Sinaloa Cartel and in doing so, furthered the cartel's drug trafficking business."

During Guzman's trial in 2019, prosecutors claimed she helped orchestrate Guzman's two successful prison breaks in Mexico.

Her attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, said Coronel Aisupro was a "very minimal participant" in the cartel's criminal activity. "She was a very small part of this much larger thing," Lichtman said.

"This is an arm's length plea agreement," Lichtman said. "She's happy to take responsibility ... (to) get on with her life. The only thing I can tell you is that she is at peace with her decision."

"She didn't expect to get arrested after her husband received life in prison," he said outside the courthouse. "So, this is obviously a troubling time. But we're going to get past it."

Guzman was extradited to the U.S. in 2017, and sentenced to life in prison plus thirty years in July 2019. The former drug lord is serving his sentence in Colorado's Supermax prison.

During his approximately 20-year reign as the head of the Sinaloa Cartel, El Chapo oversaw a massive crime empire, which put him on Forbes' list of billionaires. Prosecutors estimate that Guzman made more than $12.67 billion from illegal operations, which he was ordered to forfeit by U.S. authorities.

Coronel Aispuro, who was born in California and is a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico, was arrested in February at Dulles International Airport in Virginia. She has been in jail ever since her arrest.

Coronel Aispuro is believed to be El Chapo's third wife. The couple married in 2007 when she was 18 and he was 39. They have two young twin daughters together.

She will be sentenced on Sept. 15.

Wife of drug kingpin 'El Chapo' pleads guilty www.youtube.com

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