Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch reported that Mónica Zambada Niebla was briefly detained during an operation in Culiacán, but was not arrested because there were no arrest warrants against her.
In a press conference in Cancún, led by Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, the head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection explained that the intervention was part of a series of operations carried out in Sinaloa, specifically in the El Salado district of the municipality of Culiacán.
“There were several operations yesterday in Sinaloa; the one you’re referring to was in the El Salado district of Culiacán,” Harfuch stated.
According to authorities, Mónica Zambada Niebla, daughter of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, was found in one of the properties searched, along with a minor. The individuals present were taken into protective custody while their legal status was verified.
García Harfuch clarified that the woman was not formally arrested, but rather held temporarily in custody as a security measure and to confirm whether there were any outstanding warrants against her in Mexico or the United States.
After the review, authorities confirmed that there were no active arrest warrants against her, so she was released and handed over to her family.
“She was never arrested; she was temporarily held in custody, first to ensure the safety of all personnel and individuals, including the minor, and above all to verify if she had any outstanding warrants here in Mexico or in the United States,” he stated.
In the same operation, federal forces arrested a man identified as Omar Osvaldo “N,” who has an outstanding arrest warrant in San Diego, California.
The official explained that this arrest was part of the results of coordinated operations between the Mexican Navy and federal security authorities.
“As a result of operational actions by the Mexican Navy and the Ministry of Security, a person named Omar Osvaldo N. was arrested. This individual has an arrest warrant in San Diego, California, in the United States. He is currently in custody,” he explained.
The Secretary recalled that Mónica Zambada was included in 2007 on a sanctions list by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
However, he emphasized that these types of designations are administrative in nature and do not imply criminal charges or arrest warrants.
“Since she was designated almost 20 years ago, there has been no arrest warrant for her in either Mexico or the United States. Once this is verified, she is released to her family,” he stated.
Source: debate
