(NewsNation) — It started in a prison in the Venezuelan state of Aragua nearly a decade ago. Now, the gang known as “Tren de Aragua” (TDA) has expanded into what the Justice Department calls a “transnational criminal organization” with branches in most of the Western Hemisphere.
TDA figures in more than 100 police investigations around the U.S., including Texas, New York, Colorado and Wisconsin. And, according to reports, its leaders have given members the green light to open fire on U.S. law enforcement.
“This TDA is a very special threat,” said former New York State Homeland Security adviser Michael Balboni. “They’ve created a transnational drug pipeline,” he told NewsNation.
The gang has also been called “MS-13 on steroids,” invoking the name of the notorious gang formed by Salvadoran immigrants in Los Angeles in the 1980s.
A growing list of TDA-linked crimes
Among its crimes in the U.S. are armed robbery, looting high-end stores and violent clashes with police, including January’s brutal attack on New York City police officers. At least one of the 14 suspects in that attack has ties to TDA.
Another shocking incident that made national headlines was the murder of University of Georgia student Laken Riley. Authorities believe the suspects, two brothers identified as Diego and Jose Ibarra, have ties to TDA.
In Aurora, Colorado gang members have been linked to violent incidents at several apartment complexes. Surveillance video at those dwellings shows some alleged gang members carrying assault rifles. Local police have responded to numerous cases where residents were victims of armed robberies and home invasions.
In El Paso, Texas, authorities uncovered a human smuggling operation where victims were held against their will. The gang is reportedly using hotels as temporary holding centers for victims before moving them across state lines.
“They want to intimidate anybody who works with law enforcement, especially in their own communities. That’s where they prey first because they know that many of them (victims) might not want to go, because of their immigration status, to the police,” Balboni said.
Law enforcement responds
Homeland Security Investigations revealed that TDA members are young men, aged 18 to 25, often wearing high-end streetwear like Chicago Bulls jerseys and Michael Jordan sneakers. They also have distinct tattoos featuring Venezuelan flags or gang symbols, making them easier to spot.
Law enforcement is stepping up its efforts to dismantle the gang. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned the group in July, freezing assets and blocking transactions in the U.S.
The State Department has offered a reward of up to $12 million for information leading to the capture of three key leaders who are believed to be orchestrating many of the gang’s operations from Venezuela and elsewhere.
