In a sweeping move that spans multiple states and cuts into the heart of organized crime, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has unsealed indictments against 27 members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) and its splinter group, Anti-Tren.
This marks the first time Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charges have been used against the gang in the U.S.
The suspects face a slate of federal charges, including racketeering, sex trafficking, drug trafficking, robbery, carjacking and illegal firearms possession.
According to DOJ officials, 21 of the indicted individuals are already in custody.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a forceful statement, said the action aims to dismantle what she described as a “highly structured terrorist organization” that has “destroyed American families with brutal violence, engaged in human trafficking, and spread deadly drugs through our communities,” according to Breitbart.
The DOJ’s indictments are divided between the original TdA gang and its offshoot, the Anti-Tren group—both of which allegedly operated across New York City and into other areas of the country.
The two factions, once unified, have reportedly waged violent battles against one another while continuing to exploit vulnerable women and flood U.S. streets with dangerous narcotics, including a ketamine-laced pink powder known as “tusi.”
Federal documents reveal that the original TdA gang operated in the Bronx, Queens and internationally in Venezuela and Peru.
Their criminal agenda, officials allege, involved sex trafficking of young Venezuelan women referred to as “multadas,” who were smuggled into the U.S. and forced into prostitution to repay fabricated debts.
To maintain control over these victims, TdA members reportedly used threats, assault, kidnappings and murder. The gang is also accused of arming themselves illegally and intimidating witnesses to evade prosecution.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch commented, “This isn’t just street crime—it’s organized racketeering.”
“These defendants wreaked havoc in our communities, trafficking women for sexual exploitation, flooding our streets with drugs, and committing violent crimes with illegal guns.”
Among those charged are six alleged core members of TdA, including Jarwin Valero-Calderon (“La Fama”), Samuel Gonzalez Castro (“Klei”) and Armando Jose Perez Gonzalez (“Biblia”), with potential sentences ranging from five years to life in federal prison if convicted.
Charges span racketeering conspiracy, carjacking, drug trafficking, extortion, and illegal possession of firearms by non-citizens.
The Anti-Tren faction—made up mostly of former TdA members—has reportedly mimicked TdA’s brutal methods.
Operating in both New York and New Jersey, Anti-Tren stands accused of the same crimes: smuggling and trafficking women, drug distribution, armed robberies and violent enforcement tactics.
DOJ officials revealed the Anti-Tren indictment targets 21 individuals, including Reinaldo Gonzales-Valdez (“Mariguana”), Jose Guerrero-Zarate (“Mantequilla”) and Johan Mujica-Urpin (“Sobrino”).
Prosecutors allege these men upheld their criminal hierarchy through violence, threats, and human exploitation, Breitbart reports.
“These indictments make clear that this Office will work tirelessly to keep the law-abiding residents of New York City safe,” said the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
“We are holding accountable those who bring violence to our streets.”
Both indictments underscore how these transnational gangs have embedded themselves in American communities, using fear and brutality as tools of control.
Prosecutors emphasized that the investigation remains ongoing and more arrests may follow.
The post DOJ Slaps Tren de Aragua with RICO Charges in Sweeping Crackdown on Venezuelan Gang Terror appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Gloriel Howard
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