Mexican drug lord Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, were arrested in El Paso, Texas, on Thursday, as announced by the U.S. Justice Department.

Zambada and Guzman Lopez face charges in the U.S. related to their roles in the Sinaloa Cartel's criminal activities, including fentanyl manufacturing and trafficking.

The U.S. federal prosecutors had charged Zambada with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl in February.

The arrests followed their arrival in a private plane, signaling a significant action against the cartel's leadership.

El Chapo, co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel with Zambada, was extradited to the U.S. in 2017 and is serving a life sentence.

El Chapo's sons, known as Los Chapitos, have led his faction of the cartel and have been major fentanyl exporters to the U.S. since his extradition.

The recent arrests may cause instability or violence within the cartel and Mexico.