By The Dallas Police Department has officially confirmed the presence of the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua in North Texas. This acknowledgment, revealed to DailyMail.com, marks the first public statement by law enforcement officials about the gang’s activities in the area, validating long-standing rumors and raising serious concerns about public safety.
Dallas Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Pryor stated, “We have had gang activity in the north Dallas area linked to the Tren De Aragua gang from Venezuela.” Pryor added that the department is collaborating with other agencies to address possible crimes linked to this and other gangs in the city, though specific details of ongoing investigations were not disclosed due to their sensitive nature.
Tren de Aragua, a criminal organization best known for sex trafficking and exploiting Venezuelan migrants, has reportedly expanded its operations across the United States in recent years. Law enforcement sources suggest that gang members have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border mixed in with asylum-seeking migrants, contributing to a crime wave stretching from Miami to New York.
The gang’s expansion into North Texas follows the establishment of its new headquarters on the U.S.-Mexico border, just south of El Paso, Texas. This strategic positioning has allowed Tren de Aragua to exploit desperate migrants, charging exorbitant fees for smuggling them across the border and, in some cases, kidnapping migrants for ransom.
In July 2023, the U.S. government designated Tren de Aragua as a transnational criminal organization. Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson emphasized the escalating threat the gang poses to American communities, stating, “Today’s designation of Tren de Aragua as a significant Transnational Criminal Organization underscores the escalating threat it poses to American communities.”
The gang’s activities have raised alarm about the safety of home delivery and ride-share services. Investigations have uncovered that some Venezuelan migrants, potentially affiliated with the gang, have infiltrated these services by renting or buying accounts that do not belong to them. This practice raises significant safety concerns, as many of these individuals may lack legal authorization to work in the U.S. or valid driver’s licenses.
In Dallas, the Venezuelan community is concentrated in an area known as Villa Dallas, located in the northern part of the city. Residents and local authorities report that this neighborhood has experienced an uptick in criminal activity, including illegal street races, violence, and extortion attempts.
One resident, who requested anonymity, described the situation: “Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the situation is out of control. These men hang around the complex drinking and doing drugs. Next thing you know, it’s bullets flying and people fighting.”
In response to the rising crime, the Dallas Police Department designated The Oaks at North Dallas apartment complex as a habitual crime property in July 2023 and increased police presence in the area. “Our Neighborhood Police Officers are setting up a crime watch meeting to speak with tenants and address the crime in the area,” a police statement indicated.
Immigration attorney Rolando Vazquez highlighted the professional nature of these criminals, stating, “A lot of these people are criminals from the (Nicholas) Maduro regime. Some are ex-security forces.
They are professional criminals or part of criminal organizations.” Vazquez also noted that some gang members may have been part of government-backed militias in Venezuela, known as ‘Collectivos’.
The leader of Tren de Aragua, Hector Guerrero Flores, remains at large with a $5 million bounty on his head. The gang, which originated in Venezuela’s Tocoron Prison, has transformed from a group of prison thugs into one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the world, rivaling groups like El Salvador’s MS-13 in notoriety.
As investigations continue, local and federal authorities are expected to intensify efforts to combat the gang’s activities and mitigate their impact on communities in North Texas and beyond.
The presence of Tren de Aragua in Dallas underscores the complex challenges faced by law enforcement in dealing with transnational criminal organizations and highlights the intricate relationship between immigration policies, border security, and public safety in American cities.
The situation remains fluid, with law enforcement agencies working to develop strategies to address this growing threat. As the community grapples with these developments, the full impact of Tren de Aragua’s presence in Dallas and its implications for public safety continue to unfold.
Source: Daily MailOnline
