Co-Founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada Garcia, Pleads Guilty to Engaging in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise and Racketeering

“This foreign terrorist committed horrific crimes against the American people - he will now pay for those crimes by spending the rest of his life behind bars in an American prison.”

-Attorney General Pamela Bondi

“Today marks a crucial victory in President Trump’s ongoing fight to completely eliminate foreign terrorist organizations and protect American citizens from deadly drugs and violence.”

-Attorney General Pamela Bondi

“For decades, under El Mayo’s leadership, the Sinaloa Cartel made billions of dollars by importing poisonous drugs to the United States, flooding our streets with cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. El Mayo’s conviction is the latest milestone in the Department’s historic efforts to eliminate the harms wrought by cartels and bring their leaders to justice in American courtrooms. The Criminal Division and our partners will continue our relentless pursuit of these notorious criminal organizations to ensure that they are held accountable and to make our communities safer.”

-Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division

“Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada led one of the world’s deadliest cartels, pumping fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and meth into our communities. His guilty plea proves no cartel boss is beyond the reach of justice. By taking him down, we are protecting American families and cutting off a pipeline of poison. DEA and our partners will not stop until every cartel network is dismantled.”

-Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)