Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, one of Mexico's most notorious drug cartel leaders and co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, has been sentenced to life in prison by a US federal judge. The ruling was delivered by Judge Brian Cogan in Brooklyn federal court on Monday.

Zambada, 76, apologized in court, saying he was 'sorry for the harm I caused and for the example I set' and urged future generations to 'choose a different path.' He was also ordered to forfeit $15 billion in drug trafficking proceeds.

In July 2024, Zambada was lured to the US by Joaquin Guzmán Lopez, son of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzmán, under the pretense of inspecting clandestine airstrips in northern Mexico. Instead, their plane landed in Texas, where Zambada was arrested.

Zambada reached a plea deal last year, pleading guilty to drug smuggling and conspiracy charges to avoid the death penalty. US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. stated that Zambada 'spent nearly four decades poisoning American communities to make billions of dollars in profit.'

The Sinaloa Cartel has been embroiled in internal violence since Zambada's capture, with hundreds reported missing in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. The cartel has been at war with itself, with rival factions vying for control.

The location of Zambada's imprisonment remains undecided. He has requested placement in a prison hospital due to age-related health issues, but federal prosecutors argue he still poses a security threat and could direct drug operations from prison.

US President Donald Trump, on his first day back in office, announced increased pressure on Mexico and cartels, including designating them as terrorist groups. The US also accused the governor of Sinaloa of conspiring with drug traffickers.

Analysts suggest that Zambada's sentence is unlikely to significantly impact the Sinaloa Cartel's operations. Organized crime in Mexico adapts quickly, and the flow of cocaine and fentanyl into the US is expected to continue.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk