Ten alleged members and associates of the bloodthirsty Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) have been indicted in a massive arms and drugs-running operation spanning at least six states, with prosecutors stating they had plans to expand internationally to Colombia.
In New York City on Wednesday, police reported that one of the accused gang members broke an NYPD officer’s arm during a scuffle that occurred while he was being arrested.
Authorities seized a cache of 34 illegal firearms, including AR-15 assault rifles and a modified Glock 9mm, which has been altered to function as an automatic weapon, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Katz indicated that the TdA gang members were also involved in distributing dangerous drugs, including pink cocaine, a designer street drug that is a mixture of ketamine, MDMA, and ecstasy.
All ten individuals, including two women, are migrants from Venezuela who entered the United States illegally via the southern border, according to police.
This faction of the gang was led by two Venezuelan nationals who arrived in New York City two years ago and established a gun-running crew that included other foreign nationals.
Enyerbert Blanco, 24, the alleged ringleader, has been in custody in Florida since October, facing charges related to a human trafficking case involving a 15-year-old girl.
“We allege that as members and associates, they trafficked weapons and generated revenue to further TdA’s agenda, and as they seek to establish themselves in New York City, we are methodically dismantling them,” Katz stated.
The investigation, dubbed Operation Train Derail, commenced over a year ago and was executed by Katz’s office in collaboration with the NYPD.
Five of the ten indicted individuals face two counts of criminal sale of a firearm, with potential sentences of up to 25 years if convicted. The remaining members are charged with various firearm possession offenses and other crimes, facing maximum sentences of 15 years. All ten are charged with conspiracy to possess and sell illegal firearms in New York City.
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Currently, four suspects are in custody in New York City, while four others are incarcerated outside the state, including two in Texas and two in Florida. The remaining suspects are still at large. Their illicit activities have also been linked to Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Colorado.
Katz did not disclose whether ICE would pursue deportation for the suspects, emphasizing that the case is being treated primarily as a gun-running operation.
She noted the audacity of the group’s gun dealings, stating, “In one instance, a defendant transported an AR-15 wrapped in a black garbage bag for sale in the Bronx County. This transaction took place at 3:45 p.m. in front of a residential building.”
Furthermore, five other firearm sales occurred in a Target parking lot in College Point, Queens, between October 30 and December 10. The price for assault weapons ranged from ,500 to ,800, while loaded handguns were sold for between ,200 and ,800.
“This group was very entrepreneurial. They ensured that this operation was run like a well-oiled machine,” Katz remarked. “They stole firearms from burglaries and car break-ins in other states, utilizing rental vehicles to transport them to New York City. They recognized the profit potential in New York and even discussed plans to smuggle weapons into Colombia due to the success of this investigation.”
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch reported that the injured officer is scheduled for surgery and additional charges will be filed against the assailant. She described TdA as “a dangerous transnational gang that specializes in murder, trafficking, and mayhem,” affirming the NYPD’s commitment to collaborating with federal and local partners to dismantle such organizations threatening the city’s safety.
Some of the indicted TdA members include Wrallan Meza, 27; Leoner Aguilera, 21; Brayant Aguilar, 21; Rosemary Sanchez, 24; Enyerling Zambrano, 29; Alejandro Rondon, 19; and Oscar Sosa, 31.
The recent bust in Queens occurred just a day after immigration raids in the Bronx, resulting in the apprehension of gang member Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, 26, who was taken into custody by the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.
Zambrano-Pacheco is wanted in Aurora, Colorado, for first-degree burglary and menacing with a firearm stemming from an August 18 incident where he and five other armed men allegedly broke into an apartment at gunpoint.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that Zambrano-Pacheco is also implicated in a weapons exchange and was attempting to purchase grenades. He faces charges of kidnapping, extortion, and menacing.