In a shocking turn of events, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, a prominent Mexican drug cartel leader, was allegedly forcibly kidnapped by the son of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán before landing in U.S. custody. Zambada, who had managed to evade authorities for decades, found himself in a U.S. prison for the first time when he and Guzmán López were apprehended at an airport in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, near El Paso, Texas, on Thursday. Both men are facing multiple U.S. drug charges and remain behind bars.

Frank Perez, Zambada's lawyer, vehemently denied his client willingly traveling to the United States. In a statement, Perez claimed that Zambada was "ambushed, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed by six men in military uniforms and Joaquín Guzmán López." He further stated that Zambada was then forcibly placed in a pickup truck, taken onto a plane, and tied to a seat by Guzmán López while being blindfolded.

Known for his ability to corrupt officials and negotiate with rivals, Zambada, 76, has been charged in several U.S. cases, including in New York and California. A new indictment was filed against him in New York in February, designating him as the "principal leader of the criminal enterprise responsible for importing enormous quantities of narcotics into the United States."

If his removal from the criminal landscape is successful, it could potentially ignite a fierce internal power struggle within the cartel, similar to what has occurred with other kingpins in the past. Experts also suggest that it may pave the way for a more violent and younger generation of Sinaloa traffickers to rise within the organization.

Perez, however, declined to provide any further details beyond his initial statement, mentioning only that his client had a minimal security detail and was lured to a meeting with Guzmán López. His comments were initially reported by the Los Angeles Times.

The U.S. Justice Department has yet to respond to Perez's claims, and it remains unclear who represents Guzmán López, whose father is currently serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison.

According to an anonymous U.S. law enforcement official familiar with the matter, Zambada was deceived into flying into the United States. The official did not disclose specifics regarding who persuaded Zambada to board the plane or his intended destination.

Zambada appeared before a federal court in El Paso on Friday, where the charges against him were read, and his rights were explained. He has pleaded not guilty to various drug trafficking charges and is being held without bond. Zambada's next court hearing is scheduled for Thursday, as confirmed by Perez.