A son of infamous medicine kingpin “El Chapo” has pleaded responsible to drug expenses within the US.
Joaquin Guzman Lopez, 39, identified in Mexico as “Chapitos” or “little Chapos”, admitted two counts of drug trafficking and persevering with prison enterprise.
As a part of a plea deal to keep away from a life sentence, he mentioned he had overseen the manufacturing and trafficking of enormous quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and hashish.
Most of it’s mentioned to have been smuggled by underground tunnels.
He was arrested final yr when he landed within the US on a personal aircraft with one other cartel chief, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
Zambada’s lawyer beforehand mentioned his shopper had been “forcibly kidnapped” by Guzman Lopez and compelled on the US-bound flight.
Their seize brought on a spike in violence in northern Mexico as two factions of the Sinaloa cartel fought for dominance.
“The government has been very fair with Joaquin thus far,” defence lawyer Jeffrey Lichtman instructed reporters after the Chicago court docket listening to.
“I do appreciate the fact that the Mexican government didn’t interfere.”
Joaquin’s brother, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, was additionally a pacesetter within the gang and in July entered a plea deal, admitting drug trafficking, firearms expenses and cash laundering.
Picture:
‘El Chapo’ in New York in January 2017, shortly after his extradition to the US. Pic: Reuters
Federal authorities mentioned in 2023 that the cartel was sending “staggering” quantities of fentanyl to the US, the place the opioid kills 1000’s yearly.
The brothers’ father, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, obtained a life sentence in 2019 for main the Sinaloa cartel and smuggling medicine into America for over 25 years.
He famously escaped from his Mexican jail cell in 2015 utilizing a specifically constructed tunnel however was later recaptured and extradited to the US.
