DENVER (KDVR) — Four people with ties to a Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, were arrested at an apartment complex on South Quebec Street in late August, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.
NewsNation affiliate KDVR’s Courtney Fromm confirmed with the sheriff’s office that during “proactive policing” on Aug. 21, deputies arrested six people at the Ivy Crossing Apartments near South Quebec Street and High Line Smith Way on a variety of charges ranging from drugs to stolen vehicles.
The sheriff’s office told Fromm that the Ivy Crossing Apartments are not a safety concern and this investigation is ongoing. KDVR’s Vicente Arenas was told by the sheriff’s office that it focused its community policing efforts on the swath of complexes near South Quebec Street and East Harvard Avenue.
The sheriff’s office told Fromm that during the investigation, four people were identified as members or associates of Tren de Aragua. Law enforcement from the sheriff’s office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security were in the area on Aug. 21.
“We’re looking for any violation that we can stop and make contact with somebody and addressing the issues that they might have,” Arapahoe County Sheriff Tyler Brown told Arenas.
The officers were looking for things like stolen vehicles and persons wanted by other jurisdictions. The proactive operation took place in an area of the county where there have been two cases in the past five years of officers shooting and killing suspects, in addition to a SWAT situation. On Aug. 21, officers seized 750 counterfeit pills, some ketamine and a stolen car.
“There had been some conversation that there were some things going on in our jurisdiction and we developed a plan,” said Brown.
The sheriff’s office said they can’t disclose how the individuals were confirmed to have ties to the gang. The individuals are currently in custody, but it’s unclear where at this time.
Previous reports of Tren de Aragua gang activity
Earlier this summer, law enforcement said a jewelry store robbery was linked to the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang. In late August, a video surfaced of people seen carrying guns and entering apartments at an Aurora complex, which were confirmed members of the gang, Department of Homeland Security sources confirmed to NewsNation.
The Aurora Police Department announced in August that it collaborated with the Colorado State Patrol and Colorado Bureau of Investigation to create a special task force to address the city’s concerns about the gang.
