Notorious Tren de Aragua Gang Members Arrested in Major San Antonio Apartment Complex Raid

In a major joint operation, city, state, and federal authorities conducted a raid on a San Antonio apartment complex, reportedly under the control of the infamous Tren de Aragua gang. The operation resulted in 20 arrests and detentions, including confirmed members of the Venezuelan gang, according to the police.

Details of the Raid

The raid, which took place before dawn, involved over 150 officers from the San Antonio Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, ATF, and the Texas Anti Gang Unit. Officers combed through approximately 300 vacant units at the Palatia Apartments, a complex located on the city's north side, about a mile west of the airport and just east of the Harmony Hills residential subdivision. “We had information that members of the transnational gang Tren de Aragua were in control of the area and committing various crimes,” said San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus during a press conference. The alleged crimes included human trafficking, drug law violations, and threats made against apartment employees.

Confirmed Gang Members Arrested

"We've confirmed that four Tren de Aragua members are in custody. One TDA member is a confirmed enforcer for that gang," McManus stated. He used a term that describes someone responsible for ensuring subordinates adhere to the gang's rules and orders. Of the arrestees, 16 were Venezuelans. A News4SA reporter on the scene described hearing flash-bang grenades being deployed as the raid was launched around 4:45 am, noting that the complex houses 900 apartments, most of which are occupied by migrants. The reporter added that janitors and other workers at the complex feared for their safety and that of other migrants who were not involved with the Venezuelan prison gang.

Statewide Operation Against Tren de Aragua

On September 16, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared Tren de Aragua a foreign terrorist organization and ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to launch a statewide operation to target the gang. "We will not let them use Texas as a base of operations to terrorize our citizens," Abbott told reporters. "They have a target on their back, and we are going after them. Texas is the wrong state for them to try to do business in.” The description of the gang asserting "control" of the San Antonio complex is reminiscent of video footage that emerged from an Aurora Colorado apartment complex in August, showing gang members roaming the complex with firearms. Much like the San Antonio criminals, the gang members in Aurora allegedly threatened to kill property managers at a second complex, Whispering Pines.

Operation Aurora

In what appears to be a nod to the alarming developments in Colorado, police named the San Antonio initiative targeting the gang "Operation Aurora." The operation utilized intelligence gathered by undercover police operating inside a Migrant Resource Center located less than 2 miles south of the Palatia Apartments. The migrant center has been a source of concern, with hundreds of thousands of migrants passing through it in the last year. The center is located immediately adjacent to a residential area, and neighbors have reported unsettling interactions with migrants roaming their streets, approaching children, attempting to enter occupied vehicles, and using yards as bathrooms, laundries, and dressing areas.

Continued Action Against Tren de Aragua

Speaking near the Palatia Apartments targeted on Saturday, Chief McManus warned Tren de Aragua that the battle against the gang was only just beginning: “Even though we are finished here at the complex, we are not done. We are on to you, and we are coming for you... This is just the first one we're hitting. We've got other places we're going to hit." Texas DPS Director McCraw in September likened the Tren de Aragua gangsters to cockroaches, saying they multiply quickly and small intrusions into communities become infestations if not aggressively pursued.

Bottom Line

The increasing presence of Venezuelan gang members is causing concern among citizens and officials across the country, and could potentially influence the upcoming general election. The situation raises questions about how best to address immigration and security issues, and how to protect innocent migrants from being caught up in the crossfire. What are your thoughts on this matter? Share this article with your friends and let's discuss. Remember, you can sign up for the Daily Briefing which is everyday at 6pm.