The wide-ranging trial for Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman is well underway, after the notorious drug kingpin who ruled over one of the largest trafficking empires in history was recently extradited from his native Mexico to New York, to face federal court.
Needless to say, the whole ordeal has been a hotbed of scandal. But even for a trial of this magnitude, the latest development is a shocker to say the least - the former heir to El Chapo's Sinaloa cartel turned against his boss, the federation and even his own dad, co-founder, and Chapo's longtime partner Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada García.
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Vicente 'El Vicentillo' Zambada Niebla - who was once groomed to take over the infamous drug empire - took to the stand on Thursday to give more than five hours of evidence regarding the operations of the Sinaloa cartel.
According to The New York Times, this included details on smuggling routes, money-laundering schemes, bloody wars, personal vendettas, and multi-million dollars in bribes. Coming from one of the men who knew more than most about the inner workings of the organisation, that's gotta sting.
Although seven other witnesses who worked with Guzmán have testified against him since the trial began in November, at the Federal District Court in Brooklyn, none have come close to the detailed picture that was painted by El Vicentillo.
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The former heir spoke at length about Guzmán and his dad (who is still at large and on the Drug Enforcement Administration's most wanted list) smuggling literally tonnes of substance in cars, trains, submarines, and even a frozen meat truck.
He went on to reveal how he oversaw the transportation of cocaine from Colombia into Mexico through to Los Angeles and Chicago, adding that a senior military officer in the Mexican Ministry of Defence and a member of former president Vicente Fox's security team, were actually in on the Sinaloa cartel's dealings.
And if that weren't enough, the 43-year-old went on to make claims that his dad's bribery budget often cashed in at around $1 million per month. He told the court: "I started realising how everything was done, and little by little I started getting involved in my father's business."
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Meanwhile, reporter Keegan Hamilton offered live updates on yesterday's trial, describing how Vicentillo's continued testimony focused on the Sinaloa cartel's weaponry, claiming that 99 percent of their weapons come from the United States.
These add to the many claims that figures of authority have made dodgy deals with the cartel over the years - expect some colourful cross-examination to kick off in the upcoming months.
The trial of El Chapo, led by Judge Brian Cogan, is ongoing, while Vicentillo faces sentencing in March for his involvement. His actions are a far cry from El Chapo's offspring, who are reported to be continuing their pop's drug empire. Like father, like sons.Featured Image Credit: PATopics: World News, Interesting, US News
