Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel was finally trialed and found guilty on Tuesday. This Kingpin received his infamous title in 2003, first when Osiel Cardenas Guillen, leader of the Gulf Cartel, was arrested. Second was El Chapo’s leading of the Sinaloa cartel; this cartel still exists and is one of the biggest drug organizations in Mexico, while El Chapo was the leader of the Sinaloa cartel, he smuggled more that 500 tons of cocaine into the United States. But it didn’t only end there, they also smuggled methamphetamine, ecstasy, heroin, and marijuana. These drugs mainly came from Colombia and were then brought to Mexico, once in Mexico some of the drugs were distributed, and the rest continued on a journey to the United States. The third reason for El Chapo’s quick rise to fame was his three infamous escapes from prison. His latest escape was the most famous  – a tunnel was constructed under the prison to his cell, which was over a kilometer long.

The TEA has described El Chapo as the biggest most powerful narco-trafficker in the world. He is also the second most important man in Mexico, and “the most ruthless, dangerous, and feared man on the planet.” These titles are not short of what they are meant to describe, making El Chapo one of the richest people in the world. The Sinaloa Cartel would export multi-ton cocaine shipments when El Chapo was its leader.  When Chapo was captured for the third time in 2014, he had already smuggled more than 500 tons of cocaine, which is more than any  other Kingpin in the world.

Back in 2017 El Chapo was brought into the U.S. for the first time ever, since then remaining in a prison in New York. Joaquin was charged and declared guilty for drug trafficking, possession of firearms, conspiracy and other unaddressed charges. The trial lasted 6 days and El Chapo was declared guilty. When this verdict was given, Guzman showed no emotion. The only thing he did was glance at his wife sitting in the crowd and give her a thumbs up sign, and then shook hands with his lawyers. Judge Brian Cogan thanked the jury for attending and dedicating time into the trial. Guzman received a life sentence, even though he is no longer with his cartel the production and money made by the cartel is intact. The drugs are still smuggled through the border and infest the streets of Colombia, Mexico, and The United States. The only thing now decided by the court was what prison Guzman is going to be sent to  – the only thing that we know is it will high security.

Judge Brian Cogan, who presided over the trial, thanked the jurors for their dedication at what he described as a complex trial, saying it was “remarkable and it made me very proud to be an American”.