墨西哥75岁毒枭在美认罪 面临终身监禁

Core Points - Ismael Zambada Garcia, former leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel, reached a plea agreement with U.S. prosecutors, avoiding the death penalty but facing life imprisonment [2] - Zambada admitted to multiple charges including drug trafficking in a federal court in New York, with $15 billion of illegal proceeds to be forfeited [2] - The sentencing is scheduled for January next year, where Zambada will face life in prison [2] Summary by Sections - Plea Agreement and Charges - Zambada acknowledged his involvement in drug trafficking and other crimes, leading to a plea deal that spares him from the death penalty [2] - He has been on the run for over 20 years and was arrested in July last year after arriving in Texas from Mexico [2] - Drug Trafficking Operations - From 1980 until last year, the Sinaloa cartel smuggled approximately 1.5 million kilograms of cocaine, primarily into the United States [2] - Zambada's previous refusal to plead guilty to 17 federal charges related to murder and drug trafficking occurred in September last year [2] - Background of the Sinaloa Cartel - The Sinaloa cartel, co-founded by Zambada and Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, is one of the largest drug trafficking organizations globally [2] - Guzman has been captured multiple times and is currently serving a life sentence in a high-security U.S. prison after being convicted of various charges including drug trafficking and money laundering [2]