HOUSTON — The lawyer for a powerful Mexican drug cartel leader now in U.S. custody on Sunday pushed back against claims that his client was deliberately flown to the country, saying he was “forcibly kidnapped” by the son of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada had eluded authorities for decades and had never set foot in prison until a plane carrying him and Joaquín Guzmán López, a son of notorious drug lord “El Chapo,” landed Thursday at an airport in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, near El Paso, Texas. Both men, who face multiple U.S. drug charges, were arrested and remain in jail.

Frank Perez, Zambada’s attorney, said his client did not arrive at the New Mexico airport of his own free will.

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“My client did not surrender, nor did he negotiate terms with the U.S. government,” Perez said in a statement. “Joaquín Guzmán López forcibly abducted my client. He was ambushed, thrown to the ground and handcuffed by six men in military uniforms and Joaquin. His legs were tied and a black bag was placed over his head.” Perez said Zambada, 76, was thrown into the bed of a pickup truck, forced onto a plane and tied to a seat by Guzmán López.

Known as a shrewd operator adept at bribing officials, Zambada has a reputation for being able to negotiate with anyone, including rivals. He has been charged in a number of U.S. cases, including in New York and California. Prosecutors filed a new indictment against him in New York in February, describing him as the “principal leader of the criminal enterprise responsible for importing massive quantities of narcotics into the United States.”

Removing him from the criminal landscape could unleash a turbulent internal war for control of the cartel, as has happened with the arrest or killing of other top brass. Experts say it could also open the door for a more violent, younger generation of Sinaloa traffickers to rise.

Perez declined to comment beyond his statement on Sunday, saying only that his client was traveling with a light security unit and was trapped after being summoned to a meeting with Guzmán López.

READ MORE | Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada Garcia, co-founder of Sinaloa cartel alongside El Chapo, in US custody

Perez’s comments were first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

A U.S. Justice Department spokesman did not immediately respond Sunday to an email seeking comment on Perez’s claims. Court records did not list an attorney for Guzmán López, whose father is serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison.

According to a US law enforcement official familiar with the matter, Zambada was tricked into flying to the US

The cartel leader boarded a plane thinking he was going somewhere else, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. The official did not provide details, such as who persuaded Zambada to board the plane or where exactly he thought he was going.

Zambada appeared in federal court in El Paso Friday morning, where a judge read the charges against him and informed him of his rights. He is being held without bail and has pleaded not guilty to several drug trafficking charges, court records show. His next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday, Perez said.

SEE ALSO | El Chapo’s son helped US operation capture Sinaloa cartel leader ‘El Mayo’ Zambada, official says