The NYPD and Queens district attorney announced a large takedown Wednesday, involving Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
“As they seek to establish themselves in New York City, we are individually dismantling them,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
What You Need To Know
- The NYPD and Queens district attorney announced a large takedown Wednesday, involving Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua
- According to officials, 10 people have been indicted and face charges, such as criminal sale of a firearm and conspiracy
- Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said members of the gang arrived in the city from Venezuela around two years ago when the city experienced an influx of migrants
According to officials, 10 people have been indicted and face charges, such as criminal sale of a firearm and conspiracy. Officers confiscated 34 guns and 48 grams of a drug cocktail known as “pink cocaine.”
“They stole firearms. There were proceeds of burglaries and car break-ins from other states. They relied on the use of rental vehicles to come up the iron pipeline and sell them to people in the city of New York. They were aware that they can make money in the city of New York, and they even discussed potentially smuggling them into Colombia,” Katz said.
Many of these gun transactions happened in broad daylight and in some instances out of a parking lot in College Point, Queens, according to Katz.
Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said members of the gang arrived in the city from Venezuela around two years ago when the city experienced an influx of migrants.
“We have 67 documented members of TDA in the New York and another 24 members of Los Diablos, which is the minor leagues of Tren de Aragua,” Kenny said.
As part of this case, police made arrests in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Houston and Colorado.
“TDA is a dangerous, trans national gang that specializes in murder, trafficking and mayhem,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
Investigators are still looking for two more people in this case. Five have been charged in the top count of criminal sale of a firearm and they face up to 25 years in prison.