Mexico's FGR withholds flight data in Ismael Zambada investigation

The Mexican Attorney General's Office (FGR) has classified details regarding the investigation into the transfer of Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada as reserved information. The investigation concerns his flight to the Santa Teresa airport in New Mexico on July 25, 2024.

Requests for specific flight recordings, including audio of the pilot requesting a transponder code from the Ciudad Juárez air traffic control tower, and information regarding interviews with airport personnel have been denied. The FGR stated that disclosing such data poses a real risk to the ongoing investigation and could expose the lines of inquiry used to gather evidence.

The FGR previously characterized the transfer as an ‘illegal extraction or kidnapping’ occurring in Sinaloa. The agency noted the event took place two days after Ovidio Guzmán joined a witness protection program, suggesting a possible link between the two events due to family and criminal organization ties.