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Feds charge 27 in NYC Tren de Aragua crackdown

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Published  April 22, 2025 3:08pm EDT
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 5 NY

What is Tren de Aragua? Everything to know

Born out of a Venezuelan prison, the notorious gang Tren de Aragua has caused an explosion of crime. As many as 600 gang members are destroying American lives.

The Brief

    • 27 people with ties to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and splinter group Anti-Tren have been indicted on racketeering, sex trafficking, drug, and firearms charges in New York.
    • Officials say victims were trafficked from Venezuela, forced into sex work, and controlled with threats, kidnappings, and violence.
    • Border Czar Tom Homan and Mayor Eric Adams said the takedown shows why federal-local cooperation matters—and took aim at critics blocking ICE access to Rikers Island.

NEW YORK - Federal authorities have charged 27 people tied to the violent Venezuealan gang Tren de Aragua with crimes including racketeering, sex trafficking, drug trafficking, robbery, and firearms offenses. The sweeping indictments are the first to name Tren de Aragua as a criminal enterprise in the United States.

What we know:

Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky announced the indictments charging individuals connected to Tren de Aragua and a splinter group known as Anti-Tren.

  • The Tren de Aragua indictment charges six alleged members of the gang.
  • The Anti-Tren indictment charges 21 individuals, including former Tren de Aragua members.

Of the 27 defendants, 21 are in federal custody. Five were arrested in operations carried out last night and earlier today.

"It’s time for all of us to ask the question, particularly those who are in government who find it more convenient to have a tequila drink with someone who’s a gang member: Which side are you on?" Mayor Eric Adams said.

"Every member of TdA should be on the run," said Border Czar Tom Homan at a press conference on Tuesday. "Because the Trump administration is committed to removing every single member of TdA and MS-13 from this country."

RELATED: Judge temporarily blocks Adams from allowing ICE agents on Rikers Island

Homan also slammed a lawsuit that temporarily is blocking Mayor Eric Adams from allowing ICE agents on Rikers Island.

"I hope the people who filed the lawsuit sees this press conference today, because what you see today is the result of collaboration between local and federal law enforcement," Homan said. "No-one can argue what happened here in the last several months that resulted in 27 TdA being indicted, no-one can argue that doesn't make the streets of New York safer."

What they're saying:

"Today, we have filed charges against 27 alleged members, former members, and associates of Tren de Aragua, for committing murders and shootings, forcing young women trafficked from Venezuela into commercial sex work, robbing and extorting small businesses, and selling ‘tusi,’ a pink powdery drug that has become their calling card," said Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky. "Today’s indictments make clear that this Office will work tirelessly to keep the law-abiding residents of New York City safe."

RELATED: ICE arrests over 20 during NYC raids, including suspected gang leader: Details

Attorney General Pam Bondi added, "Tren de Aragua is not just a street gang—it is a highly structured terrorist organization. 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."

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, "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."

"We're not going to be a safe harbor for criminals," Adams said. 

The backstory:

Alleged Tren de Aragua gang members arrested

A major gang takedown in New York City has led to the arrest of 10 suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Authorities say they seized 34 firearms, including assault weapons and ghost guns, along with nearly 50 grams of pink cocaine. FOX 5's Jessica Formoso has the story.

Tren de Aragua, a criminal organization originally based in Venezuela, has spread internationally, including into New York City. Members of the gang allegedly trafficked women referred to as "multadas," smuggled them across borders, and forced them into sex work to pay off debts.

The gang also engaged in:

  • Trafficking of controlled substances, including "tusi," a drug mixture that contains ketamine.
  • Armed robberies and extortion.
  • Murders and assaults, often targeting former members or rival factions.

Victims were allegedly kept in line through threats, beatings, kidnappings, and even killings.

The splinter group Anti-Tren is allegedly largely made up of former Tren de Aragua members, and is accused of the same crimes. According to federal authorities, Anti-Tren members engaged in similar criminal behavior, including sex trafficking, drug trafficking, armed robberies, and violence targeting rivals and trafficking victims.

Like Tren de Aragua, Anti-Tren reportedly smuggled women into the U.S. to work in commercial sex and used threats and violence to maintain control.

Big picture view:

The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a DOJ initiative launched to combat transnational criminal organizations and violent crime. 

The DOJ says this operation marks a turning point in its strategy to dismantle criminal enterprises like Tren de Aragua and signals the expanding scope of Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), which has been targeting MS-13 and now includes Tren de Aragua.

Crime and Public SafetyNew York City