ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - July 26, 2024

ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - July 26, 2024

ZeroFox physical security experts collect, curate, and analyze information derived from open and proprietary sources for comprehensive context of the circumstances surrounding global events. Here is today’s daily roundup of major developments.

Brief Highlights

• Top Sinaloa Cartel Leaders Arrested in U.S. Sting Operation
• Kenyan President Ruto Appoints Opposition Members to New Cabinet to Assuage Protesters
• China Faces Typhoon Gaemi

Top Sinaloa Cartel Leaders Arrested in U.S. Sting Operation

A sting operation led by the FBI and the DEA has resulted in the arrest of Ismael Mario “El Mayo” Zambada García and Joaquín Guzmán López, son of EL Chapo, key leaders of the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel, a major drug trafficking organization. Zambada, a co-founder of the cartel, was lured to the United States under false pretenses by Guzmán López. Despite these arrests, experts believe the decentralized nature of the cartel means drug trafficking will persist and could spark increased violence as factions vie for control.

Kenyan President Ruto Appoints Opposition Members to New Cabinet to Assuage Protesters

On July 25, 2024, President William Ruto nominated members of the main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, to his cabinet. Ruto is hoping the move will assuage protesters calling for him to step down. However, it is unclear if the protesters are key Odinga supporters. Odinga led protests against the election he lost, which turned violent in 2022, as he has done multiple times after losing elections. However, the protests largely ended after Ruto was given a high-profile position with the African Union, another constant in the Odinga protests. The latest protests were largely youth-driven, without clear political affiliations other than high-profile allegations of political corruption. Ruto's cabinet appointments do lessen the possibility that the opposition will support protesters. The protests are inspiring others across Africa notably in Uganda and Nigeria.

China Faces Typhoon Gaemi

Typhoon Gaemi struck southeastern China on Thursday, hitting Fujian province with 141 miles per hour winds after crossing the Taiwan Strait. Gaemi was heading to Taiwan before moving towards China after it caused torrential rainfall and flight cancellations in the northern Philippines. As the third and strongest typhoon this year, it raised warnings of flash floods and river swelling. The Chinese authorities evaacuated about 240,800 people from Fujian ahead of the landfall. This is the latest weather disaster after heavy rains hit China and left at least 26 people dead in the last week. China has been grappling with severe extreme weather, from drought to flooding across the country. Heavy precipitation impacts coal mining, hydropower generation, and offshore wind turbines. Additionally, heavy rainfall also further damages crop yields, including corn, rice, and soybeans, on top of the drought-withered farmland. While China has been experiencing an elevated number of weather-related disasters, it has become increasingly difficult to report or find information on the incidents since a security law was passed in 2023 that included prohibitions on the reporting of disasters.