Federal authorities have dismantled a significant portion of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) criminal network, charging more than 25 individuals in a coordinated nationwide strike.
The operation, led by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) and Joint Task Force Vulcan, focused on members of the Venezuela-based foreign terrorist organization and its splinter group, “Anti-Tren.”
Since early 2025, the Department of Justice has moved to federally charge over 260 people linked to the gang.
The latest wave of arrests spanned six U.S. Attorney offices, including regions in Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Tennessee, and Washington. Investigators seized more than 80 firearms, 18 kilograms of narcotics—including fentanyl, cocaine, and the designer drug “Tusi”—and over $100,000 in cash.
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Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche described the targets as part of “vicious terrorist networks” and stated the crackdown was a direct effort to dismantle violent firearms and drug trafficking organizations.
The investigations revealed a sophisticated operation involving the sale of high-capacity weapons and various illegal substances. In Colorado, two Venezuelan nationals were charged after allegedly selling firearms with obliterated serial numbers to undercover agents.
Meanwhile, in Middle Tennessee, five individuals were indicted for a conspiracy that moved meth, MDMA, and cocaine across state lines. Ballistics testing in Nashville linked two seized pistols to previous local shootings, including one incident with multiple victims in September 2024.
FBI Director Kash Patel noted that the operation aimed to end the presence of foreign gangs “wreaking havoc on our streets.” He emphasized that the collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies is intended to permanently disrupt the financial and operational reach of transnational cartels.
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Tren de Aragua originated in Venezuelan prisons nearly two decades ago and has since spread across the Western Hemisphere. The group is known for a wide range of crimes, including kidnapping, extortion, and human trafficking. According to the IRS Criminal Investigation unit, tracing the financial trails of these members remains a primary strategy for disabling their ability to move goods and personnel.
Officials confirmed that many of those charged are foreign nationals from Venezuela, Colombia, and Honduras who entered the country illegally.
These cases fall under Executive Order 14159, which focuses on prosecuting and removing violent criminal aliens through the unified efforts of the DEA, ATF, HSI, and other federal partners. While dozens are already in custody, the Department of Justice indicated that several related investigations are still active.
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