Vicente Zambada Niebla

His plea agreement provided for complete and truthful cooperation with US authorities. The Department of Justice subsequently explained at sentencing that his cooperation had assisted several investigations and prosecutions involving members of the Sinaloa and Beltrán Leyva cartels.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Protagonist is a witness

The federal court in Chicago sentenced Zambada Niebla to 15 years' imprisonment for his role in trafficking large quantities of drugs. Prosecutors emphasised his lengthy cooperation, while he had been detained since March 2009.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Accused

Zambada Niebla pleaded guilty in Chicago to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin. He agreed not to contest a forfeiture judgment exceeding 1.37 billion dollars.

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

Attribution

Directly implicated

After approximately eleven months' detention in Mexico, Vicente Zambada Niebla was extradited to the United States to face federal drug trafficking charges in Chicago, with other proceedings also mentioned in Washington.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Accused

Zambada Niebla was arrested in Mexico City in March 2009. A few months later, he was among the defendants in extensive federal proceedings in Chicago targeting Sinaloa structures; the indictment also alleged discussions concerning weapons and retaliatory violence against government buildings.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Accused

In his plea agreement, Vicente Zambada Niebla acknowledged being a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa cartel, a trusted lieutenant of his father and a logistics coordinator, participating in transporting multi-tonne cocaine shipments to Mexico and then the United States, and returning criminal proceeds.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Directly implicated

A federal indictment in the District of Columbia targeted Vicente Zambada Niebla, his father Ismael Zambada García and other alleged leaders for conspiracy to import and distribute cocaine. Prosecutors accused him in particular of supervising the unloading of multi-tonne maritime shipments.

Attribution

Accused