Notorious Kingpin 'El Mayo' Zambada Pleads Not Guilty to Drug Charges

Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, a prominent Mexican drug cartel leader, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including drug trafficking, money laundering, and weapons charges, in a New York courthouse. His arrest is considered a significant success for U.S. law enforcement, sparking fears of intra-cartel violence in Mexico.

Mexican kingpin Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges on Friday. The hearing took place in the same New York courthouse where Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman was convicted five years earlier.

U.S. Magistrate Judge James Cho ordered Zambada, in his 70s, to be detained pending trial. The U.S. Attorney's office argued that Zambada had invested decades to enhance the Sinaloa Cartel's power following El Chapo's capture.

Zambada, arrested on July 25 with Guzman's son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, at a New Mexico airfield, faced separate allegations in Texas before being transferred to Brooklyn. The Brooklyn case dates back to 2009 and involves fentanyl trafficking, amid a U.S. opioid epidemic.

(With inputs from agencies.)