Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of former Sinaloa drug cartel kingpin ‘El Chapo’, entered a plea of not guilty on Tuesday, July 30, to a series of charges related to one of the world’s most notorious illicit drug operations. Guzman Lopez, one of ‘El Chapo’s’ four sons, was apprehended in Texas on Thursday, July 25, in an operation orchestrated by the US authorities without Mexican involvement.
The judge presiding over the case denied bail for Guzman Lopez and ordered him to remain in custody. A case management hearing has been scheduled for September 30, according to the assistant US Attorney’s office, as cited by AFP.
Court documents previously released by prosecutors revealed that a federal grand jury had indicted Guzman Lopez on charges of money laundering, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses. CNN reported that Guzman Lopez’s attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman, informed reporters that his client faces the possibility of the death penalty in this case.
Ismael Zambada Garcia, known as ‘El Mayo’, a co-founder of the Sinaloa cartel who was arrested alongside Guzman Lopez, also entered a plea of not guilty on Friday, July 26, to drug trafficking and money laundering charges before a federal judge in Texas. He is scheduled for another court appearance on Thursday, August 1, in El Paso.
The US arrest operation not only resulted in the detention of Guzman Lopez but also led to ‘El Mayo’ being taken into US custody. DEA chief Anne Milgram stated that Zambada’s arrest ‘strikes at the heart of the cartel that is responsible for the majority of drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, killing Americans from coast to coast.’
While details of the operation remain unclear, US media have cited law enforcement sources indicating that Zambada was lured across the Mexico border by Guzman Lopez. ‘El Mayo’s’ lawyer, Frank Perez, has maintained since Sunday, July 28, that his client was ‘kidnapped’ and brought to the United States against his will.
A report released in May by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) suggested that ‘El Chapo’s’ sons were engaged in an ‘internal battle’ against Zambada.
