The Department of Justice (DOJ) unleashed unprecedented criminal charges against members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, invoking a law that is best known for its use against the mafia in the fight against the foreign terror organization.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that it charged a total of 27 current and former Tren de Aragua members under the Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) for the first time ever, marking a new development in how the federal government prosecutes the cartels.
The indictment, Bondi says, will decimate the criminal network’s infrastructure.
“As alleged, Tren de Aragua is not just a street gang – it is a highly structured terrorist organization that has destroyed American families with brutal violence, engaged in human trafficking, and spread deadly drugs through our communities,” Bondi charged. “Today’s indictments and arrests span three states and will devastate TdA’s infrastructure as we work to completely dismantle and purge this organization from our country.”
The indictment targets both current and former members of Tren de Aragua, charging them with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, robbery, and firearms offenses. Of the 27 individuals charged by the DOJ, 19 of them are alleged to be members of a Tren de Aragua splinter group referred to as “Anti-Tren.”
The unsealed indictment outlines a number of specific charges against the alleged current and former Tren de Aragua members, accusing them of sex trafficking, drug trafficking, carjacking, and a litany of firearms charges.
The DOJ also explained that the foreign terror organization has been particularly active in New York City, specifically in the Bronx and Queens.
“Tren de Aragua is one of the most dangerous gangs in the country, and the NYPD has taken significant action to shut down their operations in New York City,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch remarked. “For the first time ever, TdA is being named and charged as the criminal enterprise that it is. This isn’t just street crime—it’s organized racketeering, and this gang has shown zero regard for the safety of New Yorkers.”
