Serafin Zambada, 23, the son of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was arrested at the Nogales port of entry on Wednesday. Zambada was with his wife, who was eventually released from custody.
Serafin is a U.S. citizen. Serafin, aka “Sera” has been indicted for conspiracy to smuggle at least 500 grams of methamphetamine and 5 kilograms of cocaine to the U.S.
His father, Ismael Zambada-Garcia, aka “Mayo Zambada” and “El Mayo”, is one of Mexico’s most wanted criminals, who gained notoriety in the 1990’s as a major coordinator for several Mexican drug trafficking organizations and as a principal member of the Amado Carrillo-Fuentes Organization. In the late 1990’s, Zambada-Garcia emerged as one of the strongest drug traffickers in Mexico, capable of transporting multi-ton quantities of cocaine and marijuana and multi-kilogram quantities of heroin. Currently, Zambada-Garcia operates primarily in the States of Sinaloa and Nayarit, but exerts influence along a large portion of Mexico’s Pacific coast, as well as in Cancun, Quintana Roo, and Monterrey, Nuevo Leon.
The Zambada-Garcia Organization, as with other major Mexican organizations, relies on currency shipments to move drug proceeds across the United States-Mexico border. Zambada-Garcia has invested in a number of businesses within Mexico. For example, through family members, Zambada-Garcia is the owner of a large milk company, a bus line, and a hotel. He also has extensive real estate holdings.
Ismael Zambada-Garcia was indicted on January 28, 2003, by a Washington D.C. Federal Grand Jury for violations of Title 21 U.S.C. Section 959 and 963. This indictment was unsealed in late July 2003. A provisional arrest warrant was issued pursuant to this indictment. The United States Department of State is offering a REWARD OF UP TO $5 MILLION for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Zambada-Garcia.