The saga of ‘El Chapo,’ one of the world’s biggest drug kingpins - Los Angeles Times
Advertisement

Full Coverage: The saga of ‘El Chapo,’ one of the world’s biggest drug kingpins

Share via

Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, one of the world’s biggest drug kingpins, gained folklore status during his decade-plus on the lam, evading authorities thanks to his skill at building secret tunnels from his assorted mountain hide-outs, urban safe houses and seaside apartments — as well as his ability to bribe, cajole and kill.

He was captured in February of 2014, a major victory for Mexican government and law enforcement. Sometime on July 11, Guzman broke out of a maximum-security prison for the second time, making his way through another tunnel, a mile-long passageway to an empty house under construction 50 miles west of the capital.

Then on Jan. 8, 2016, he was recaptured.

On Feb. 12, 2019, Guzman was found guilty on 10 counts in his international narcotics smuggling trial in a capstone triumph for the U.S. Justice Department. He will almost certainly spend the rest of his life behind bars in the U.S.

Read more
Advertisement