"NEW YORK -- Former Mexican cartel kingpin Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada pleaded guilty Monday to U.S. drug trafficking charges, saying he was sorry for helping to flood the U.S. with cocaine and other illicit substances. "I recognize the great harm illegal drugs have done to the people in the United States and Mexico," he said through a Spanish-language interpreter. "I apologize for all of it, and I take responsibility for my actions.""
"In pleading guilty, Zambada acknowledged the extent of the Sinaloa operation, including underlings who built relationships with cocaine producers in Colombia, oversaw the importation of cocaine to Mexico by boat and plane and the smuggling of the drug across the U.S.-Mexico border. He acknowledged that people working for him paid bribes to Mexican police and military commanders "so they could operate freely," going all the way back to when the cartel was just starting out."
"The 77-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy and one count of running a continuing criminal enterprise. He was arrested in Texas last year. Zambada had pleaded not guilty last year to a range of drug trafficking and related charges, including gun and money laundering offenses. Prosecutors say Zambada presided over a violent, highly militarized cartel with a private security force armed with powerful weapons and a cadre of "sicarios," or hitmen, that carried out assassinations, kidnappings and torture."
Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and running a continuing criminal enterprise and apologized for contributing to the flow of cocaine and other illicit drugs into the United States. He acknowledged the Sinaloa cartel's expansive operations, including underlings who built ties with Colombian cocaine producers, imported cocaine by boat and plane to Mexico, and smuggled drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border. He admitted that associates paid bribes to Mexican police and military commanders to facilitate operations. Prosecutors described a violent, militarized cartel with private security forces and sicarios carrying out assassinations, kidnappings and torture. Zambada was arrested in Texas and faces a life sentence.
Read at ABC7 New York
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