The Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) revealed that it took almost a year after the expulsion of Mauro Alberto Núñez Ojeda, known as ‘El Jando’, to find evidence linking him to the kidnapping of Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel.

‘El Jando’ was extradited to the United States in August 2025 alongside 25 other high-profile drug traffickers under the National Security Law. Omar García Harfuch, Mexico’s Secretary of Security, emphasized that this group posed a serious threat by intimidating judges and police officers even from prison.

It wasn’t until June 2026 that Ernestina Godoy, the current head of the FGR, and her team uncovered voice and fingerprint matches connecting ‘El Jando’ to the June 26, 2024, flight that transported Ismael ‘N’ and Joaquín ‘N’ from Culiacán, Sinaloa, to New Mexico, USA. This discovery came through a review of investigation files, according to an official FGR statement.

Despite ‘El Jando’ now being in U.S. custody—where he faces the possibility of a life sentence—the FGR insists that investigations in Mexico remain active. The agency retains recordings, expert reports, interviews, and other evidence and can request further legal cooperation with U.S. authorities.

The story behind the kidnapping claim is complex. ‘El Mayo’ Zambada arrived in the U.S. in July 2024 and later sent a letter claiming he was kidnapped by Joaquín Guzmán López, ‘El Güero’, son of the infamous ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán. According to Zambada, ‘El Güero’ lured him to a meeting at a ranch outside Culiacán.

‘El Jando’ was arrested in August 2025 after an attack on Army and National Guard forces in Jesús María, Culiacán. Upon arrest, he initially gave a false identity, but forensic analysis confirmed who he really was. The FGR describes him as a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel, linked to multiple unspecified crimes. When questioned, he denied involvement in the criminal organization.

On July 14, 2026, during the morning press conference, Secretary García Harfuch defended the decision to expel ‘El Jando’ and other traffickers from Mexico, citing the severe danger they posed domestically. He highlighted that these individuals had repeatedly obstructed extraditions and were responsible for over 17 attacks on public servants, including threats against prosecutors and judges, as well as corruption attempts.

García Harfuch also noted that ‘El Jando’ and his associates maintained control over organized crime groups from behind bars, orchestrating murders and extortion schemes. “These were the criteria considered to remove them from our country,” he said.

This case underscores the ongoing challenges Mexico faces in dismantling powerful criminal networks and the importance of cross-border cooperation in justice and security efforts.