Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, a longtime partner of the infamous “El Chapo” Guzman, has entered into a guilty plea in Brooklyn after being accused of running and organizing a violent international drug trafficking operation.

According to reports, El Chapo and El Mayo were the two primary individuals responsible for turning a small, regional Sinaloa cartel into one of the largest drug trafficking operations in the entire world.

According to El Mayo, the trafficking operation stemmed from relationships with cocaine producers in Colombia. Once a deal was made with these individuals, El Mayo was able to oversee the importing of cocaine from Colombia into Mexico. Smugglers would transport the drugs via boat and plane. Once the cocaine was in Mexico, other smugglers would take it across the U.S. border.

While this operation required some funding in the form of bribes issued to law enforcement and military members, it still raked in hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Law enforcement and military members got paid off enough to turn a blind eye to the drug traffickers who were able to operate freely.

U.S. DEA officers have been trying to apprehend El Mayo for about twenty years, and they were finally successful in 2024 when they discovered the suspect in Texas. According to arrest reports, El Mayo arrived in Texas on a private plane with one of El Chapo’s sons. El Mayo later told authorities that the El Chapo family had kidnapped him in Mexico, and he was unwillingly transported to the U.S.

Pam Bondi, the current U.S. Attorney General, called the guilty plea a landmark victory, and she also affirmed that the suspect would “die in a U.S. federal prison where he belongs.” Both Bondi and the prosecutors in this case agreed that seeking the death penalty was off the table, especially due to Mexico’s opposition to it. Since the U.S. wants to be on good extradition terms with Mexico, they respect the country’s views when it comes to capital punishment for its citizens. W

hile El Mayo has not been sentenced yet, his partner El Chapo was sentenced to serve 30+ years in prison. The suspect, who is already 75 years old, is expected to receive a life sentence. He is also facing billions of dollars in financial fines and penalties.

Understanding the Terms of an Extradition

Despite the severity of El Chapo and El Mayo’s actions, extradition agreements are in place with Mexico that restrict the use of the death penalty. If you get accused of a crime in the U.S. but are arrested in Mexico, it’s very likely that the foreign country will extradite you to the states to face your charges. Likewise, if you commit a crime in Mexico and get arrested in the states, U.S. authorities may extradite you back to Mexico to face justice.

Do you believe you’re potentially at risk of extradition after committing a crime in a foreign country? If so, then our international attorneys can help. Leave your phone number on our online form now to get in touch.