Dramatic Arrest of Mexican Cartel Kingpin 'El Mayo' Zambada Shakes Up Criminal Underworld

Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, pleaded not guilty to U.S. drug trafficking charges after a significant arrest. His court appearance was waived, and he is set for arraignment. This arrest may alter the dynamics of Mexico's crime syndicates, with significant implications for the Sinaloa Cartel.

Alleged Mexican kingpin Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada has pleaded not guilty to U.S. drug trafficking charges after he and a son of another prominent Mexican drug lord were arrested on Thursday in a dramatic achievement for U.S. law enforcement that could usher in a seismic shift to Mexico's criminal landscape.

Court records showed that Zambada on Friday waived his right to appear personally in court and directed that a not guilty plea be entered on his behalf. He was ordered detained without bond and is scheduled to be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anne Berton next Wednesday, the records showed. His lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Zambada is one of the most consequential traffickers in Mexico's history and co-founded the Sinaloa Cartel with Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, who was extradited to the U.S. in 2017 and is serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison. Both Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of El Chapo, face multiple charges in the United States for funneling huge quantities of fentanyl and other drugs to U.S. streets. Fentanyl overdoses have surged to become the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45.

(With inputs from agencies.)