The Attorney General's Office (FGR) in Mexico revealed a new element in the investigation into the transfer of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada to the United States by reporting that the alleged pilot of the aircraft used in the operation returned to Mexico after being deported, continued committing crimes in national territory, was arrested for carrying weapons and subsequently handed over again to the US authorities.

The revelation occurred amid the Mexican government's toughening of accusations against the FBI for its alleged participation in the July 25, 2024 operation.

The information was released by the Attorney General, Ernestina Godoy, in which the institution maintained that the US authorities have provided “false, partial and insufficient” information about the case and questioned the lack of cooperation to clarify how the transfer of the historic leader of the Sinaloa Cartel took place.

According to the FGR, after the aircraft landed on US territory, the FBI only reported that the pilot had requested to be immediately deported to Mexico, without initially providing information about his identity.

However, Mexican investigations established that the man returned to the country, continued carrying out illicit activities and was later arrested for carrying firearms. It was subsequently handed over to the United States government based on applicable national security legislation.

"The pilot was deported. He continued to operate, committing crimes in Mexico, he was detained for carrying weapons and was handed over to the United States government based on the National Security Law," reported David Boone de la Garza, head of the FGR's Specialized Regional Control Prosecutor's Office, during the conference.

The Prosecutor's Office did not specify the date on which the deportation, detention and subsequent delivery of the pilot to the United States occurred, nor did it clarify whether before that he was investigated in Mexico for his alleged participation in the transfer of Zambada, which the agency describes as a possible kidnapping.

The revelation opens a new line of questions, since, although the FGR claims to have identified the pilot, until now it has not reported on a formal accusation in Mexico for the events related to the transfer of the Sinaloa boss.

The Prosecutor's Office also reported that it has already identified the runway from which the aircraft used on July 25, 2024 took off and assured that it operated without authorization.

The aircraft, a Beechcraft King Air 200, returned to the center of controversy after the FBI recently added it to a permanent exhibit at a New Mexico museum dedicated to relevant agency operations.

The exhibition was interpreted by the Mexican government as an implicit recognition of US participation in the operation, in contrast to the statements made in 2024 by the then US ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, who maintained that “it was not our plane, nor our pilot, nor our operation.”