‘El Mayo’ Zambada accepts transfer to New York for trial

Houston. Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Ismael The May Zambada agreed Thursday to be transferred to New York from Texas, where he remains in custody, to face the first of several drug trafficking trials he faces in the United States.

Zambada said he “does not oppose” the request from the U.S. Attorney General’s Office, which notified Texas judicial authorities on Thursday that the Eastern District of New York had initiated “the process to transport” the Mexican drug trafficker, according to official court documents.

In New York, Zambada is accused, among other charges, of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute drugs such as cocaine and fentanyl internationally. The synthetic opioid is a priority in US anti-drug policy and the cause of a major health crisis in the country.

He will then face additional charges of drug trafficking, money laundering and murder in Texas and Illinois.

Zambada, 76, has already had two court appearances in the border city of El Paso, Texas, after his arrest on July 25 at an airport in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, neighboring El Paso. He arrived there from Mexico on a private plane with Joaquín Guzmán López, son of fellow drug trafficker Joaquín Guzmán López. El Chapo Guzman.

Zambada said he was tricked by Guzmán López – later prosecuted in Illinois – ambushed, kidnapped and brought by force. He said he had not negotiated his surrender with the US government and at the hearings in Texas he pleaded not guilty.

Last Wednesday, El Paso federal judge Kathleen Cardone had denied the request for transfer made by the United States Attorney General’s Office, arguing that Zambada was arrested in her jurisdiction and had pending charges in Texas. The defense also argued that transferring him violated his right to a speedy trial in that state.

However, the prosecution insisted on its request on Thursday and assured that it already had the defendant’s consent to take him to New York and be tried there first. It was not officially reported if there was any agreement between the parties.

Judge Cardone asked Zambada to state in writing that he agreed to the transfer, which he eventually did. Cardone then canceled Zambada’s next hearing scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 9 in El Paso.

After his transfer, Zambada will have to appear on a date to be determined before the same court that tried his son, Vicente Zambada Niebla, The Vicentilloand sentenced to life imprisonment El Chapo.