The Trump administration deported 17 alleged Tren de Aragua and MS-13 members to El Salvador’s CECOT prison, following indictments charging Venezuelan gang members with various crimes in New York City. The Department of State designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization in February, highlighting its involvement in racketeering, sex trafficking, and drug trafficking. The gang led by Hector Guerrero Flores operates as a transnational criminal organization with activities in the U.S., Chile, and Peru.
Twenty-seven individuals linked to Tren de Aragua have been charged, with 21 in federal custody and five recent arrests made in New York State. The gang is accused of murdering, robbing, extorting, and trafficking women into becoming sex workers through threats and violence. The arrested members also face drug trafficking charges for selling a compound known as pink cocaine, which produces hallucinogenic effects.
In addition to the Tren de Aragua members, 21 individuals associated with the rival Anti-Tren group have been charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act for committing violent crimes from 2022 to 2025 in the New York City metro area. They have also been accused of sex trafficking, drug trafficking, obstruction of justice, firearms offenses, and conspiracy to import and harbor immigrants.
Overall, the arrests and charges are aimed at disrupting the activities of these violent gangs that have terrorized communities with their criminal enterprises. The cases highlight the efforts of law enforcement to address organized crime and protect the safety of individuals in New York and beyond.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
