Sinaloa Cartel ‘El Mayo’ Pleads Not Guilty of Drug Charges in US Court

Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, co-founder of the Mexican drug cartel Sinaloa, has pleaded not guilty in a New York court to drug trafficking, murder and other charges, months after his dramatic arrest and transfer to the United States.

Zambada pleaded guilty Friday to the 17 felony charges he faces, which also include money laundering and weapons charges, during a hearing in Brooklyn, New York.

US Judge James Cho has ordered that Zambada, 76, be held in jail pending trial.

Public prosecutor Francisco Navarro called Zambada “one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, drug lords in the world.”

“A U.S. prison cell is the only thing that will prevent the defendant from committing further crimes and ensure that he returns to court,” he told the hearing.

Zambada has been wanted by police for more than two decades and has been in custody in the U.S. since July 25, when he landed in a private jet at an airport outside El Paso, Texas, federal authorities said.

He was in the company of another fugitive drug cartel leader, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

Guzman Lopez is currently awaiting trial on a separate charge in Chicago. He pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges in federal court in late July.

Many questions have arisen over Zambada’s arrest. It has also led to fears of more drug-related violence in Mexico and to increasing tensions between the Mexican and U.S. governments.

Last month, Zambada’s lawyer said Guzman Lopez and six men in military uniforms kidnapped his client “by force” near Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state, and flew him to the U.S. against his will.

The Guzman family’s lawyer denies the kidnapping charge, calling it a voluntary surrender after lengthy negotiations.

Zambada also described his capture as a “kidnapping” in a statement released through his lawyer in mid-August. “I was robbed,” he said.

However, experts say the manner in which he arrived in the US will have little impact on his criminal case.

If found guilty on all charges, Zambada faces a minimum of life in prison and could be eligible for the death penalty.

He also pleaded not guilty to separate drug trafficking charges and other charges in Texas.

In a letter to the judge, US prosecutors called him “one of the most notorious and dangerous drug traffickers in the world”.

“The suspect had an arsenal of military-grade weapons to protect himself, his drugs and his empire,” they wrote.

“His heavily armed private security detail was used as his personal bodyguards and to provide protection for drug shipments throughout Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and beyond,” the letter continues.

“In addition, he maintained a stable of ‘sicarios,’ or hitmen, who committed gruesome murders and kidnappings in order to maintain discipline within his organization, provide protection against attacks by rivals, and silence those who sought to cooperate with law enforcement.”

More than 450,000 people have been killed in Mexico since 2006 due to a rise in criminal violence, much of it linked to drug trafficking and gangs.

According to experts, Zambada’s arrest coincided with an increase in violence in Culiacan as different factions within the Sinaloa cartel compete to fill a power vacuum.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador briefly addressed the violence during his morning press conference on Friday, calling on the cartel to “prevent further loss of life.”

The warring parties “must look for other ways” to resolve their differences, Lopez Obrador said, so that “they do not harm innocent people.”

“They also have to take care of themselves and their families,” he added.