Unseen government videos from the hours after Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán's final arrest have been leaked, showing the cartel boss looking rattled and stripped of his fearsome reputation in the chaotic aftermath of the raid.
Leaked Footage Marks 10th Anniversary of Raid
Two major outlets, El Universal and Aristegui Noticias, alongside journalist Héctor de Mauleón, published the secret, previously unreleased government videos to mark the upcoming 10th anniversary of the 2016 raid that finally brought down the Sinaloa Cartel leader.
The archival footage, pulled from internal government files, shows Mexican marines storming El Chapo's hideout in Los Mochis, Sinaloa. In dramatic bodycam-style clips, heavily armed troops are seen using flashbang grenades and aggressive tactics as a fierce firefight erupts inside the safe house.
Intimate Moments After Capture
Reports say five cartel gunmen were killed in the shootout before Guzmán was ultimately caught. After fleeing through the city's storm sewers, El Chapo was taken to a nearby motel - and that's where the most intimate moments were filmed.
One clip shows a heavily guarded Guzmán washing his face and hair in a bathroom sink, while an armed officer stands right at his shoulder, watching every move. In another video, an anxious-sounding El Chapo speaks to authorities about rival cartel Los Zetas - before asking a question that underlines just how shaken he was.
He can be heard saying: "Are you going to treat me badly?" A third video follows the intense security operation as soldiers escort him out under heavy guard and load him onto transport in a hangar to be flown away, CNN reported.
Legacy and Extradition
The leak has reignited fascination with one of the biggest anti-drug operations in modern history. It further offers the public a raw look at El Chapo without the swagger that made him a global underworld legend.
It also comes with a stark reminder of what led up to the raid. Just months earlier, in 2015, Guzmán stunned the world by escaping prison through a mile-long tunnel. Not long after the newly released footage was recorded, he was extradited to the United States, where he is now serving a life sentence. The videos were leaked on Monday, (August 17) quickly going viral.
The notorious cartel leader was once listed on Forbes' billionaire list. He built an empire, in part, by inventing sophisticated drug-smuggling tunnels. His criminal career included legendary prison escapes via a laundry cart and a mile-long tunnel, and he was eventually located after arranging a meeting with actor Sean Penn for a potential biopic. Beyond the tunnels, he operated a luxurious lifestyle with a private zoo and was aided by his wife, former beauty queen Emma Coronel Aispuro.
