Longtime drug cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada has pleaded not guilty to U.S. narcotics trafficking charges.

The alleged Sinaloa Cartel co-founder, known as "El Mayo" Zambada, pleads not guilty on Friday morning on drug trafficking charges.

BROOKLYN (CN) — Arrested after four decades of heading the Sinaloa cartel, Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia pleaded not guilty in Brooklyn federal court for drug trafficking-related charges targeting one of the world’s most powerful drug cartel leaders.

Zambada faces 17 charges, including large-scale drug trafficking, fentanyl distribution, and conspiracy to commit murders, marking a pivotal moment in U.S. efforts to dismantle Mexico's most notorious criminal empire.

Sinaloa cartel leader Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada pleads not guilty to drug charges in NYC, following his arrest and extradition from El Paso.

Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, longtime leader of Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel, pleaded not guilty to U.S. narcotics trafficking and murder charges on Friday.

The co-founder of the deadly Mexican Sinaloa cartel, Ismael Zambada, appeared in court in Brooklyn Friday, pleading not guilty to a raft of charges following his arrest in a dramatic sting by US agents.