Chicago Cops Being Trained to Detect Simple But Key Details of Most Tren de Aragua Gang Members as Trafficked ‘Pink Cocaine’ Becomes Growing Concern Across US

Chicago police are ramping up efforts to combat a dangerous Venezuelan prison gang trafficking a deadly new drug cocktail known as “pink cocaine” throughout the city, according to internal police documents obtained through public records requests.

The Tren de Aragua gang, which has rapidly expanded across 16 U.S. states, has become a growing concern for the Chicago Police Department, prompting the distribution of specialized training materials to help officers identify gang members through their distinctive tattoos and appearance.

Confidential police memos reviewed by the New York Post reveal officers are being warned about “Tusi” or pink cocaine, a potentially lethal mixture of various narcotics including ecstasy, amphetamines, LSD and synthetic drugs. 

The substance, which sells for approximately $100 per gram, may also contain fentanyl, requiring officers to exercise extreme caution during drug seizures.

“It’s not like real cocaine,” explained Derek Maltz, former DEA special operations division chief. 

The variable composition of this emerging drug cocktail has raised significant concerns among law enforcement officials, the Post highlighted.

The gang’s members, who often sport tattoos featuring doves, roses, owls, rifles, gas masks and even Popeye the Sailor, frequently dress in rapper-style clothing and wear Chicago Bulls, Blackhawks or Jordan apparel, according to the police advisory.

The documents reveal that Tren de Aragua’s criminal enterprise extends beyond drug trafficking to include human trafficking, sex trafficking and extortion operations. 

The gang has established presence in multiple sanctuary cities after members entered the country through asylum claims at the southern border.

The Post also noted that a recent Department of Homeland Security intelligence memo confirmed the gang’s expansion into California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, Virginia, Montana, Wyoming and Washington, D.C.

The pink cocaine phenomenon has gained notoriety following recent high-profile cases, including allegations of its use by music industry figures, per the outlet. 

Law enforcement officials are particularly concerned about its unpredictable composition and growing popularity in major urban centers.

Resist the Mainstream has extensively covered the Tren de Aragua gang’s growth across America in recent weeks.

For example, Tennessee is witnessing a concerning uptick in criminal activities linked to the gang, especially in its major urban centers.

The director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has reportedly emphasized that the gang has taken advantage of vulnerabilities in the country’s border security to broaden its operations across the nation.

Former New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly recently highlighted the troubling influence of the gang in Times Square. 

He linked the gang’s expansion to lenient immigration policies put forth by the Biden administration, Resist the Mainstream previously reported.

Kelly called out challenges posed by New York’s “sanctuary” policies, which severely restrict local law enforcement’s ability to collaborate with federal immigration agents. 

These policies complicate efforts to monitor gang activity, particularly within shelters designed for migrants.

This especially comes at a time when security personnel have been criticized for their ineffectiveness in preventing violence and crime, per the Post.

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