Military officers escort alleged drug trafficker Vicente Zambada during his presentation to the media in Mexico City, Thursday, March 19, 2009. Vicente Zambada, arrested Wednesday in a upscale neighborhood in Mexico City, is the son of Mexican drug lord Ismael Zambada, head of the Sinaloa cartel.
Zambada became a top Sinaloa cartel leader last year, with control over logistics and the authority to order assassinations of government authorities and rivals.
Zambada’s father, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, also is considered a top leader of the Sinaloa cartel and is among Mexico’s most-wanted suspects.
His family has long been tied to drug trafficking. Zambada’s uncle, Jesus “The King” Zambada, was arrested last year in Mexico City and accused of helping smuggle cocaine and methamphetamines through the capital’s airport. He also is under investigation for the killing of top police officials in Mexico City.
The other two known Sinaloa cartel leaders at large are Joaquin Guzman Loera, known more commonly as “El Chapo” Guzman, and Ignacio Coronel Villarreal, or “Nacho Coronel.”
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[...] Jesus Vicente Zambada-Niebla is one of the most significant figures with alleged ties to Mexican drug cartels ever extradited to Illinois, said Randall Samborn, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago. [...]