U.S. Border Patrol arrests 10 members of notorious Tren de Aragua, the largest criminal organization in Venezuela

06/05/2024 / By Laura Harris

The U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) has arrested 10 foreign nationals linked to the notorious Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang from Venezuela.

USBP Chief Jason Owens confirmed the arrest in a post on X: “USBP agents across Texas arrested 10 subjects affiliated with … TdA. All 10 subjects will be processed for removal from the United States.”

Owens concluded his post by urging the public to “keep an eye” on this gang as its criminal activities “represent a serious threat to our communities.”

TdA started as a prison gang in Venezuela’s northern Aragua state in 2014. It has since expanded into the largest criminal organization in the South American country, establishing a significant presence across Latin America and the U.S. with an estimated 5,000 members. The gang’s extensive criminal portfolio includes murder, drug and human trafficking, sex crimes, extortion and kidnapping.

Members of TdA have been implicated in numerous high-profile crimes, such as the case of an illegal immigrant accused of kidnapping and strangling a Florida man in 2023. Additionally, Diego Ibarra, the brother of the illegal immigrant accused of killing Georgia nursing student Lakin Riley, is another suspected TdA member who was arrested after allegedly presenting a fake green card and facing multiple other charges.

Given the criminal records of the notorious gang, Senate and House Republicans urged the Biden administration to designate TdA as a transnational criminal organization.

“TdA is an invading criminal army from a prison in Venezuela that has spread their brutality and chaos to U.S. cities and small towns. If left unchecked, they will unleash an unprecedented reign of terror, mirroring the devastation it has already inflicted in communities throughout Central and South America,” the GOP lawmakers wrote in March. (Related: Venezuelan gangsters blending in with MIGRANTS, causing CHAOS in America under Maduro’s orders.)

FBI agent: TdA could form an alliance with MS-13

In February, an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned that TdA could form an alliance with the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang from El Salvador and terrorize various cities where migrants are transported.

MS-13, founded by Salvadoran migrants in Los Angeles during the 1980s, is known for its heavily tattooed leaders. This gang has more than 10,000 members and strong connections with Mexican drug cartels. Tren de Aragua and MS-13 share common traits, like having Spanish-speaking members and earning a reputation for their brutality.

John Morales, special agent in charge of the FBI’s El Paso division in Texas, issued this warning about the potential alliance between TdA and MS-13. He added that the agency is concerned about the Venezuelan gang forming alliances with other Spanish-speaking networks, and that the FBI is actively sharing intelligence about TdA.

“While these gangs wouldn’t normally mix, it’s always going to be a concern as… [TdA] expands in strength and establishes a foothold,” said Morales. This, in turn, made Tren de Aragua a priority for the agency.

Security consultant Robert Almonte, a former U.S. marshal in El Paso, agreed with Morales’ sentiments.

“They are already coming over as hardened criminals, but [TDA] could certainly be trying to recruit others to join the gang in the U.S.,” said Almonte. “I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that they could form alliances with other gangs.”

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This video is from the Justin Barclay channel on Brighteon.com.