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One of the world’s biggest drug lords, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, has been arrested by US federal agents in El Paso, Texas.<\/p>\n
Zambada, 76, founded the crime syndicate with Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who is currently jailed in the US. <\/p>\n
Arrested with Zambada on Thursday was Guzman’s son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, said the US justice department.<\/p>\n
In February, Zambada was charged by US prosecutors with a conspiracy to make and distribute fentanyl, a drug more powerful than heroin that has been blamed for the US opioid crisis. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In a written statement on Thursday evening, US Attorney General Merrick Garland noted that the two men lead “one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world”.<\/p>\n
“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,” Mr Garland said.<\/p>\n
American prosecutors say the Sinaloa cartel is the biggest supplier of drugs to the US.<\/p>\n
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had been offering a reward of up to $15m (\u00a312m) for Zambada’s capture.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n