Ismael Zambada, 77, said he was sorry for flooding the US with cocaine and heroin. He is set to be sentenced on January 13 to life in prison
Former Mexican cartel kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada pleaded guilty on Monday to US drug trafficking charges, saying he was sorry for helping to flood the United States with cocaine, heroin and other illicit substances and for fuelling deadly violence in Mexico.
“I recognise the great harm illegal drugs have done to the people in the United States and Mexico,” he said through a Spanish-language interpreter. “I apologise for all of it and I take responsibility for my actions.”
Under the leadership of Zambada and Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the Sinaloa cartel evolved from a regional player into the largest drug trafficking organisation in the world, prosecutors say.
“Culpable,” Zambada said, using the Spanish word for “guilty”, as he entered his plea.
