Sinaloa cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada to plead guilty in Brooklyn, ending years of U.S. drug trafficking
Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, the notorious leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, is preparing to plead guilty in a Brooklyn federal court on Monday, formally admitting his role in one of the most violent and expansive drug trafficking operations the world has ever seen.
Zambada, 77, will face a judge for a change of plea hearing following his arrest in Texas last year. Federal prosecutors recently announced they will not seek the death penalty, signalling a potential resolution to a legal saga that has spanned decades.
Court documents indicate Zambada is expected to plead guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of running a continuing criminal enterprise. Last year, he pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms offences. Lawyers for Zambada have not commented on the impending plea.
Under Zambada’s leadership, alongside co-founder Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the Sinaloa cartel grew from a regional operation into a global drug trafficking powerhouse. Prosecutors describe a sprawling, militarised organisation, with a private security force wielding high-powered weapons and squads of “sicarios,” or hitmen, tasked with carrying out assassinations, kidnappings, and acts of torture.
“The Sinaloa cartel under Zambada was a violent enterprise with international reach,” federal filings state. “Its operations flooded the United States with cocaine, heroin, and other illicit drugs, leaving a trail of destruction in multiple communities.”
Zambada’s impending plea echoes the conviction of his former partner, Guzmán, who received a life sentence in the same Brooklyn federal court in 2019. Guzmán’s sons, who ran a cartel faction, are also facing federal prosecution.
Experts say the plea agreement could be part of a broader effort by prosecutors to dismantle the remaining infrastructure of the Sinaloa cartel while avoiding protracted litigation. “This represents the end of an era,” said a law enforcement official familiar with the case. “El Mayo has been a shadowy figure for decades, and this plea finally brings some measure of accountability.”
While the Sinaloa cartel remains active in parts of Mexico, Zambada’s admission of guilt marks a symbolic victory for U.S. authorities. Analysts note that while the cartel’s operations are unlikely to cease entirely, the plea could disrupt leadership hierarchies and send a strong warning to other criminal organisations.
Zambada’s criminal history is emblematic of the extreme violence and sophistication of international drug cartels. Over decades, the Sinaloa cartel expanded its influence across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, employing bribery, intimidation, and targeted violence to maintain its dominance.
As the world watches the Brooklyn courtroom on Monday, the legacy of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada will be scrutinised—not only for his role in the global drug trade, but also for the human cost of the empire he helped build. The plea is expected to finalise one of the most notorious criminal cases in modern history, closing a chapter on a decades-long reign of terror.