DO THEY EAT DOGS AND CATS?

Venezuelan Gang Unleashes Crime Wave in US

 

By Kate McManus 

Newsmax

Sep 12, 2024

 

American law enforcement officials say a deadly Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua has made its way to the United States, according to the The Wall Street Journal.

The gang, known for dismembering rivals across South America, was founded in a Venezuelan prison about 10 years ago. One federal official told the Journal that it's is like "MS-13 on steroids," a reference to the Central American gang that has plagued many U.S. communities.

Homeland Security officials say Tren de Aragua members are operating in the U.S. from Texas to Florida to New York and many cities in between. In New York City, gang members are suspected in the shooting of two NYPD officers and in a major robbery at the Macy's flagship store.

 

Hector Guerrero, the leader of Tren de Aragua, is believed to have escaped to the US after the Venezuelan military raid on its headquarters inside the Tocoron prison in  Aragua, Venezuela

 

Another group on mopeds is believed to have, on more than one occasion, swarmed unsuspecting pedestrians, snatching jewelry and iPhones.

Investigators say Tren de Aragua typically sets up drug-distribution networks, extortion schemes, and prostitution rings to prey on fellow Venezuelans. Although tough to identify and track because they enter illegally via the southern border, one top Immigration and Customs Enforcement official told the Journal there are currently more than 100 U.S. investigations underway involving suspected members of Tren de Aragua.

Migrant crime has become a major theme in the presidential election, with former President Donald Trump hammering the issue hard. One member of a Washington, D.C.-based think tank told the Journal, "I think the Tren de Aragua in the U.S. could help elect Trump."