"The alleged kidnapping was part of an attempt to demonstrate cooperation with Washington, which did not sanction these actions."
Mexican authorities arrested Isai "N," the nephew of former Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, in Sonora state. In a separate legal development in the United States, Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of "El Chapo," pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges, a plea that also disclosed details regarding the abduction of another cartel leader.
Arrest of Isai "N" in Mexico
Mexican security authorities, led by top security official Omar Garcia Harfuch, announced the arrest of Isai "N" in the northern border state of Sonora. The suspect is reported to be wanted by U.S. authorities. In a separate operation, Mexican authorities seized 687 kilograms of cocaine, 151 firearms, and 18 grenades.
Plea Deal and Abduction of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada
Joaquín Guzmán López, 39, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking and continuing criminal enterprise in federal court in Chicago. His plea agreement provided details regarding the abduction of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a prominent leader of the Sinaloa cartel, which occurred in July 2024.
According to the plea hearing, armed individuals entered through a window to ambush Zambada. He was subsequently loaded onto an aircraft, administered sedatives, and transported across the border into the United States. While the plea agreement did not explicitly name Zambada, a letter from Zambada, released shortly after his arrest, stated he had been called to a meeting with Guzmán López, where he was then abducted.
U.S. government attorney Andrew Erskine stated that the alleged kidnapping was part of an attempt to demonstrate cooperation with Washington, which did not sanction these actions. Erskine also stated that Guzmán López would not receive cooperation credit due to this incident.
The arrests of both individuals by U.S. authorities prompted a diplomatic response from Mexico's then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who expressed suspicion regarding U.S. government involvement in the operation. Washington denied any involvement.
Erskine described the abduction in court, stating that Guzmán López had directed the removal of a floor-to-ceiling window from a room prior to the meeting. Others then entered through the opening, seized the individual, placed a bag over his head, and transported him to a plane. On board, he was restrained with zip ties and given sedatives before the plane landed at a New Mexico airport near the Texas border.
Zambada's letter indicated that Guzmán López had summoned him to a meeting on the outskirts of Culiacán, Sinaloa, alongside local politicians. Upon arrival, Zambada reported observing numerous armed individuals in green military uniforms, whom he identified as gunmen associated with the "Chapitos" faction of the cartel. On the plane, only the pilot, Zambada, and Guzmán López were present. Zambada was given a drink containing sedatives, which Guzmán López also consumed a small amount of, according to Guzmán López's account.
Following the arrests, Mexico's Attorney General's Office announced it was considering treason charges against Guzmán López or others who aided in the plot. The arrests also initiated conflicts between rival cartel factions in Sinaloa for control of operations, leading to ongoing violence.
Guzmán López's Guilty Plea and Background
Joaquín Guzmán López is identified as a member of "Los Chapitos," a cell within the Sinaloa cartel composed of "El Chapo's" children. His brother, Ovidio Guzmán, previously pleaded guilty in July to charges including drug trafficking, firearms, and money laundering. U.S. prosecutors contend that the brothers ascended to leadership positions within the cartel after their father's arrest.
Guzmán López was apprehended last year. Officials stated he was led to believe he was traveling to northern Mexico to examine potential sites for clandestine airstrips, but instead landed a private plane in Texas, where he was arrested alongside Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. As part of his plea agreement, Guzmán López admitted to involvement in overseeing the production and smuggling of significant quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana, and fentanyl into the United States.
Guzmán López's defense attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, stated that his client is expected to avoid a life sentence as a result of the plea deal.
Related Developments
Mexican authorities announced the killing of Pedro "Pichon" Inzunza Coronel, a known drug trafficker sought by the U.S. U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson stated that Inzunza Coronel was involved in "murders, kidnappings, torture, and violent debt collection for drug trafficking."
Background on Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán
Joaquín Guzmán Loera, known as "El Chapo," was the former co-leader of the Sinaloa cartel. He was apprehended in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, on January 8, 2016, in an operation involving United States and Mexican military forces. Following his arrest, he was extradited to the United States and faced multiple charges. In 2019, at age 62, Guzmán was convicted on all ten charges against him, which included engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses. He received a life sentence, which he is currently serving in a U.S. federal prison. He has requested a transfer back to Mexico, citing harsh prison conditions.
Guzmán had previously escaped from maximum-security prisons twice: in 2001 by bribing guards and being smuggled out in a laundry cart, and in July 2015 through a mile-long tunnel. His brother, Aureliano Guzman Loera, known as "El Guano," remains at large with a $5 million U.S. bounty.