U.S. Arraigns Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia, Co-Founder of Sinaloa Cartel

             On September 13, 2024, the United States Court for the Eastern District of New York arraigned Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia, 76, a citizen of Mexico, on 17 counts related to drug trafficking, firearms offenses, and money laundering.  The arraignment concerned the fifth superseding indictment concerning El Mayo’s leadership over decades of the Sinaloa Cartel.  El Mayo was previously charged with operating a continuing criminal enterprise, murder conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana manufacture and distribution conspiracy, as well as other drug-related crimes.[1]