Son of Sinaloa cartel boss arrested by Mexican authorities

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 29: Handcuffs are seen on the hands of a twenty-year old "Street Villains" gang member who was arrested by Los Angeles Police Department officers from the 77th Street division on April 29, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. The 77th Street division patrol the same neighborhood that truck driver Reginald Denny was nearly beaten to death by a group of black assailants at the intersection of Florence and Normandie Avenues. It?s been 20 years since the verdict was handed down in the Rodney King case that sparked infamous Los Angeles riots. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) (2012 Getty Images)

MEXICO CITY (AP) – A son of alleged Sinaloa drug cartel boss Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada has been captured in northwestern Mexico, a federal official said Thursday.

Ismael Zambada Imperial, alias "El Mayito Gordo," was arrested in Sinaloa state and transported to Mexico City, the official told The Associated Press. He spoke on condition of anonymity because authorities expected to make an official announcement later in the day.

The official said Zambada Imperial assumed a more prominent role in the cartel this year after his father became the top leader following the capture of capo Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán in February.

He is the third of Zambada's sons to be detained in recent years.

Jesus Vicente Zambada Niebla was arrested in 2009 and extradited the following year to the United States, where in 2013 he pleaded guilty to a drug trafficking charge.

Serafin Zambada was arrested at the end of 2013 at an Arizona border crossing. He also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in September and faces a sentence of at least 10 years in prison.

The Sinaloa cartel is considered to be Mexico's largest drug trafficking organization, with a global reach as far away as Australia.

The U.S. and Mexican governments have offered multimillion-dollar rewards for information leading to the capture of "El Mayo" Zambada.