Apollo Quiboloy was arrested in the Philippines in August 2024 on human-trafficking charges and he pleaded not guilty and has been held in a Manila jail ever since. File.
| Photo Credit: AP

The feared Venezuelan criminal organisation, Tren de Aragua, which is known for its involvement in sex trafficking, human smuggling, and drug dealing, has infiltrated New York City, according to The New York Post. The influential surge of the gang coincides with an influx of migrants within the last two years.

The Tren de Aragua has not been around for long, but it is terrorising the inhabitants with armed members riding mopeds. They have had involvements in illegal gun sales, and the armed outfit even manages to function right under the noses of security guards at private shelters. The gang also runs prostitution rings in neighbourhoods most severely affected by the influx of migrants.

NYPost reported that the gang is also selling Tussi, or “pink cocaine,” a deadly mixture of fentanyl, complicating the list of dangers from which they operate. Tren de Aragua’s explosive growth tends to overwhelm not only ordinary New Yorkers but the police force of the city as well. The racket’s actions appear to have diminished the safety of the residents, which is a vital challenge to the law enforcement agency.

“Not every migrant is here to commit crimes; not every migrant is a gang member,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told The Post. “But these TDA guys hide very well in plain sight in the migrant community.

“We aren’t looking to grab the food delivery guy, but these guys go so far as to wear Uber Eats clothing and [use] the delivery bags while they’re out there committing their crimes,” the chief told The Post. “When we do arrest them, they are very eager to talk about the crime they have committed.

The gang, whose name means “train from Aragua” (a state in north-central Venezuela) in Spanish, now runs citywide theft and robbery crews that have terrorised neighbourhoods.

Police Emphasise That Venezuelan Gang Has Not Taken Control of the City

Meanwhile, reacting to the popular narrative about gangs having “taken over” the city, Aurora Police Department Chief Todd Chamberlain has said, “I can tell you right now, gangs are not in control of the city of Aurora. If you walk away with anything, that’s what I will say. Are there gangs in the city of Aurora? Yes. There are. Are there gangs in most major cities throughout the United States? 100% there are.”

“This is not an immigration issue. It’s a crime issue,” said chief Chamberlain during the press conference. “That is for the federal [government]. The immigration aspect is for the federal, it’s for what they focus on. It’s what they’ve done. It’s what comes out of federal government. It comes out of the White House.”