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==== New York ====
==== New York ====
According to the [[New York City Police Department|New York City Police Department (NYPD)]], the gang is involved in multiple cases of thefts throughout New York City.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Gaskins |first=Kayla |date=2024-02-27 |title=Gangs in US cities recruiting illegal migrants, spurs politicians to pivot on policy |url=https://cbs2iowa.com/gangs-in-us-cities-recruiting-illegal-migrants-spurs-politicians-to-pivot-on-policy-sanctuary-city-law-new-york-mayor-eric-adams-tren-de-aragua-mob-assault-officers-nypd-jose-antonia-ibarra-georgia-nursing-student-gallup-polling-immigration-biden-trump |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=KGAN |language=en}}</ref> A notable brawl occurred in [[Times Square]] on 27 January 2024, with two members of the Tren de Aragua reportedly being arrested after attacking NYPD officers according to the [[United States Department of Homeland Security]] and the [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] (ICE), with a government spokesperson stating "Both noncitizens have been identified as members of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization."<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-16 |title=Pressure Grows on NYC To Confront Bail Policies as Members of ‘Tren de Aragua’ Gang Brawl With Police |url=https://www.nysun.com/article/migrants-in-violent-brawl-with-nypd-belong-to-much-feared-tren-de-aragua-venezuelan-gang-pressure-grows-on-new-york-to-confront-bail-policies |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=[[The New York Sun]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |date=2024-03-02 |title=Man charged with attacking cops in Times Square and vilified in Trump ad was misidentified, DA says |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/times-square-attack-nypd-charges-dropped/5187321/ |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=NBC New York |language=en-US |agency=[[The Associated Press]]}}</ref> In February 2024, the NYPD disseminated a Situational Awareness Alert that the size of the gang was growing in New York as refugees continued to enter the city.<ref name=":4" /> Due to the increased level of violence, [[Mayor of New York City]] [[Eric Adams]] called for adjustments to the [[sanctuary city]] laws, stating "We need to make changes to the sanctuary city law that if you commit a felony, a violent act, we should be able to turn you over to ICE and have you deported."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gaskins |first=Kayla |date=2024-02-27 |title=Gangs in US cities recruiting illegal migrants, spurs politicians to pivot on policy |url=https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/gangs-in-us-cities-recruiting-illegal-migrants-spurs-politicians-to-pivot-on-policy-sanctuary-city-law-new-york-mayor-eric-adams-tren-de-aragua-mob-assault-officers-nypd-jose-antonia-ibarra-georgia-nursing-student-gallup-polling-immigration-biden-trump |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=[[The National Desk]] |language=en}}</ref>
According to the [[New York City Police Department|New York City Police Department (NYPD)]], the gang is involved in multiple cases of thefts throughout New York City.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Gaskins |first=Kayla |date=2024-02-27 |title=Gangs in US cities recruiting illegal migrants, spurs politicians to pivot on policy |url=https://cbs2iowa.com/gangs-in-us-cities-recruiting-illegal-migrants-spurs-politicians-to-pivot-on-policy-sanctuary-city-law-new-york-mayor-eric-adams-tren-de-aragua-mob-assault-officers-nypd-jose-antonia-ibarra-georgia-nursing-student-gallup-polling-immigration-biden-trump |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=KGAN |language=en}}</ref> The NYPD reported that Tren de Aragua leaders were located in New York City and were recruiting Venezuelan migrants through [[WhatsApp]] messages.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Schmidt |first=Linda |date=2024-02-14 |title=Violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recruiting NYC migrants for brazen crime ring |url=https://www.fox5ny.com/news/tren-de-aragua-nyc-migrant-crime-ring |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=[[WNYW]] |language=en-US}}</ref> It was also reported that members were involved in hundreds of robberies; such thefts are performed on [[mopeds]] where perpetrators steal items such as cell phones and jewelry while driving by.<ref name=":9" /> Stolen phones were then having bank account and personal data stolen before being shipped to Colombia and Venezuela.<ref name=":9" />
A notable brawl occurred in [[Times Square]] on 27 January 2024, with two members of the Tren de Aragua reportedly being arrested after attacking NYPD officers according to the [[United States Department of Homeland Security]] and the [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] (ICE), with a government spokesperson stating "Both noncitizens have been identified as members of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization."<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-16 |title=Pressure Grows on NYC To Confront Bail Policies as Members of ‘Tren de Aragua’ Gang Brawl With Police |url=https://www.nysun.com/article/migrants-in-violent-brawl-with-nypd-belong-to-much-feared-tren-de-aragua-venezuelan-gang-pressure-grows-on-new-york-to-confront-bail-policies |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=[[The New York Sun]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |date=2024-03-02 |title=Man charged with attacking cops in Times Square and vilified in Trump ad was misidentified, DA says |url=https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/times-square-attack-nypd-charges-dropped/5187321/ |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=NBC New York |language=en-US |agency=[[The Associated Press]]}}</ref> In February 2024, the NYPD disseminated a Situational Awareness Alert that the size of the gang was growing in New York as refugees continued to enter the city.<ref name=":4" /> Due to the increased level of violence, [[Mayor of New York City]] [[Eric Adams]] called for adjustments to the [[sanctuary city]] laws, stating "We need to make changes to the sanctuary city law that if you commit a felony, a violent act, we should be able to turn you over to ICE and have you deported."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gaskins |first=Kayla |date=2024-02-27 |title=Gangs in US cities recruiting illegal migrants, spurs politicians to pivot on policy |url=https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/gangs-in-us-cities-recruiting-illegal-migrants-spurs-politicians-to-pivot-on-policy-sanctuary-city-law-new-york-mayor-eric-adams-tren-de-aragua-mob-assault-officers-nypd-jose-antonia-ibarra-georgia-nursing-student-gallup-polling-immigration-biden-trump |access-date=2024-03-11 |website=[[The National Desk]] |language=en}}</ref>


=== Venezuela ===
=== Venezuela ===

Revision as of 23:46, 11 March 2024

Aragua Train
Tren de Aragua
Founded2009–2010
Founding locationAragua, Venezuela
Territory
EthnicityPrimarily Venezuelans
Membership5,000
Leader(s)Niño Guerrero
ActivitiesProtection racketeering, drug-trafficking, human-trafficking, human smuggling, kidnappings-for-ransom, illegal mining, bribery, and money laundering[1]
AlliesMS-13, Primeiro Comando da Capital

Tren de Aragua (English: Aragua Train) is the largest criminal organization in Venezuela, with over 5,000 members.[2] Tren de Aragua is led by Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, alias “Niño Guerrero"; he was incarcerated in Tocorón prison [es], which functioned as the organization's de facto headquarters. The gang has since expanded throughout Latin America and the United States amidst the Venezuelan refugee crisis,[3] with the growth of the gang following the migration of Venezuelans to host nations.[2] Due to the severity of its crimes, combatting the gang has become a priority to many nations where Tren de Aragua has entered.[2]

Characteristics

Members of the gang are primarily Venezuelans. The Cook County Sheriff's Office reported that common symbols tattooed on gang members include an AK-47, the Air Jordan logo and a skull wearing a gas mask. Gang members are also known for wearing Chicago Bulls gear (jackets, hats, sweatshirts).[2]

Operations

Tren de Aragua is also the first Venezuelan criminal organization to expand internationally; it has a presence in Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Panama, Costa Rica and Chile. It holds a particularly dominant role in human-trafficking and human smuggling in Latin America.[4] The organization engages in a variety of criminal activities, such as arms trafficking, bribery, drug-trafficking, illegal mining, kidnappings-for-ransom, and money laundering.[2][5]

The gang has alliances with Primeiro Comando da Capital in Brazil[5] and MS-13 in the United States.[6]

Chile

Amidst the Tarapacá migrant crisis in northern Chile, Tren de Aragua engaged in trafficking of women across from the Bolivian border to Santiago.[7][8] By October 2021 there were reports Chilean authorities were conducting four different investigations related to the criminal organisation.[8] On March 24, 2022 Investigations Police of Chile (PDI) declared to have dismantled the Chilean branch of Tren de Aragua.[7] One of the Tren de Aragua members captured in March 2022 had Interpol arrest warrants for murders in Venezuela and Peru.[9] Six other migrant traffickers of Tren de Aragua were also captured in March 2022 by Chilean police.[9]

Peru

Due to Tren de Aragua's heavy presence in Lima, increased sentiments of xenophobia against Venezuelans from Peruvians resulted.[10] Following clashes between Peruvians and Venezuelan migrants at the Gamarra Market in Lima, the "Los Gallegos" chapter of the Tren de Aragua released a video stating "There will be no peace for Peruvians who support xenophobia. We will begin to kill all the Peruvian motorized people", threatening to kill Peruvian motortaxi drivers.[11] In 2023 alone, at least 183 suspected members were arrested.[3]

United States

Members of the Tren de Aragua have entered the United States through the Mexico–United States border.[12] According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, encounter numbers with Venezuelan migrants totaled 334,914 in 2023;[2] 41 suspected members of the Tren de Aragua were arrested during the same period.[13] In January 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed reports that the gang was operating in the United States.[14] The gang often recruits migrants that arrived in the United States and mixes itself amongst asylum seekers.[2][12] Telemundo, citing multiple criminal cases against suspected members of the gang, wrote that it shows "an increasingly widespread presence of the band also in the United States."[15] According to the United States Department of Justice, "several security agencies have reported a strong presence of the Tren de Aragua in several states."[15]

Florida

In the Miami-Dade area, it was reported that one member of the gang was arrested after allegedly killing a former Venezuelan police officer.[2]

Georgia

In Athens, Georgia, Diego Ibarra, a Venezuelan who was reported to have illegally entered the United States in April 2023, was arrested on 23 February 2024 after presenting a forged Green card to police.[16][17] This occurred a day after the killing of Laken Riley, with Diego's brother José Antonio Ibarra being arrested as the main suspect.[16][17] Federal prosecutors reported that Diego was a member of the gang, citing various gang-related tattoos, hand gestures in photos and him wearing Chicago Bulls apparel.[16][17][15][18][19] Authorities also showed images of Diego posign with a firearm days before he was arrested.[17]

Illinois

Tren de Aragua first appeared in Chicago and its suburbs in October 2023.[2][20] According to Chief Garry McCarthy of Willow Springs, he estimated that hundreds of gang members were present.[20] The gang has also been involved in drug sales in the area, with one member reported to have been arrested by an undercover police officer.[2]

New York

According to the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the gang is involved in multiple cases of thefts throughout New York City.[21] The NYPD reported that Tren de Aragua leaders were located in New York City and were recruiting Venezuelan migrants through WhatsApp messages.[22] It was also reported that members were involved in hundreds of robberies; such thefts are performed on mopeds where perpetrators steal items such as cell phones and jewelry while driving by.[22] Stolen phones were then having bank account and personal data stolen before being shipped to Colombia and Venezuela.[22]

A notable brawl occurred in Times Square on 27 January 2024, with two members of the Tren de Aragua reportedly being arrested after attacking NYPD officers according to the United States Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with a government spokesperson stating "Both noncitizens have been identified as members of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization."[12][21][23][24] In February 2024, the NYPD disseminated a Situational Awareness Alert that the size of the gang was growing in New York as refugees continued to enter the city.[21] Due to the increased level of violence, Mayor of New York City Eric Adams called for adjustments to the sanctuary city laws, stating "We need to make changes to the sanctuary city law that if you commit a felony, a violent act, we should be able to turn you over to ICE and have you deported."[25]

Venezuela

In addition to its home-state of Aragua, the organization has a presence in other states in Venezuela, such as Carabobo, Sucre, Bolívar, Guárico, Trujillo and Miranda.

In September 2023, 11,000 members of the Venezuelan security forces intervened at the Aragua Penitentiary Center, which served as the gang's headquarters.[26][27]

References

  1. ^ Klug, Johann (22 August 2022). ""Los Malditos del Tren de Aragua", la organización criminal que opera en Perú y que tiene más de 2.500 miembros". Infobae (in European Spanish).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "La megabanda delictiva el Tren de Aragua ya está en ciudades de EE.UU. como Chicago y Miami: qué se sabe y qué implica". Telemundo (in Spanish). 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  3. ^ a b rochaya (2023-08-11). "Tren de Aragua: expansión y evolución de una megafranquicia del crimen en América Latina". Ojo Público (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  4. ^ Armed Conflict Survey 2023. The International Institute for Strategic Studies, Taylor & Francis. 2023. p. 2.
  5. ^ a b "1 Americas: Regional Analysis 40; Mexico 44; Colombia 56; Brazil 66; Haiti 76; El Salvador 86; Honduras 94; Regional Outlook 100". Armed Conflict Survey. 8 (1): 39–101. 2022-12-31. doi:10.1080/23740973.2022.2135784. ISSN 2374-0973.
  6. ^ Autoridades en Nueva York temen posible alianza de Tren de Aragua y MS13 (in Spanish), Voice of America, 2024-02-15, retrieved 2024-03-11
  7. ^ a b ""Tren de Aragua", peligrosa banda de Venezuela". swissinfo.ch (in Spanish). 2022-03-24. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  8. ^ a b "El Tren de Aragua ya opera en Chile: la peligrosa banda criminal venezolana está involucrada en el tráfico de miles de migrantes". Infobae (in Spanish). 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  9. ^ a b Díaz Montero, Felipe (2022-03-24). "Secuestros con homicidios en Chile: cae brazo del "Tren de Aragua", banda más grande de Venezuela". Radio Bío-Bío (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-04-06.
  10. ^ "Bandas de extorsionistas venezolanos provocan violentas reacciones en Perú". InSight Crime (in European Spanish). 2023-11-13. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  11. ^ S.A.P, El Mercurio (2023-11-02). "Facción del Tren de Aragua amenaza de muerte a mototaxistas de Lima: "No habrá paz para peruanos que apoyen la xenofobia"". Emol (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  12. ^ a b c "Concerns grow over big cities being targeted by migrant 'super-gang'". The National Desk. 2024-02-15. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  13. ^ "El Tren de Aragua está en Estados Unidos, dice agente del FBI de El Paso, Texas". CNN (in Spanish). 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  14. ^ "El FBI sostiene que Tren de Aragua opera en EE.UU. | Video". CNN (in Spanish). 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  15. ^ a b c "Vinculan con la banda criminal Tren de Aragua al hermano del migrante detenido en Georgia por la muerte de una universitaria". Telemundo (in Spanish). 2024-03-08. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  16. ^ a b c "University of Georgia murder suspect's brother charged in federal court". NewsNation. 2024-03-07. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  17. ^ a b c d "Brother of suspected UGA killer accused of being gang member in new court filings". WMAZ-TV. 2024-03-06. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  18. ^ Tarazona, Vilma (7 March 2024). "Detienen a presunto miembro del Tren de Aragua: es hermano del sospechoso de matar a la estudiante Laken Riley". Univision.
  19. ^ Por estos tatuajes vinculan al Tren de Aragua al hermano del sospechoso de asesinar a Laken Riley, NBC News, 7 March 2024, retrieved 2024-03-11
  20. ^ a b Reyes, Mariana (2024-01-23). "Miembros de la temida banda criminal Tren de Aragua ya están en Chicago, según autoridades". Telemundo Chicago (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  21. ^ a b c Gaskins, Kayla (2024-02-27). "Gangs in US cities recruiting illegal migrants, spurs politicians to pivot on policy". KGAN. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  22. ^ a b c Schmidt, Linda (2024-02-14). "Violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recruiting NYC migrants for brazen crime ring". WNYW. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  23. ^ "Pressure Grows on NYC To Confront Bail Policies as Members of 'Tren de Aragua' Gang Brawl With Police". The New York Sun. 2024-02-16. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  24. ^ "Man charged with attacking cops in Times Square and vilified in Trump ad was misidentified, DA says". NBC New York. The Associated Press. 2024-03-02. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  25. ^ Gaskins, Kayla (2024-02-27). "Gangs in US cities recruiting illegal migrants, spurs politicians to pivot on policy". The National Desk. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  26. ^ "Con 11.000 agentes, Venezuela desalojó una cárcel copada por la "delincuencia organizada"". Télam. 20 September 2023.
  27. ^ Zulia, El Regional del (2023-09-20). "Murió mayor de la GNB durante operativo en Tocorón". El Regional Del Zulia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-09-22.
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