A dangerous Venezuelan gang, known as Tren de Aragua (TdA), has expanded its criminal activities into the U.S., now occupying at least four apartment complexes in San Antonio, Texas, according to reports from law enforcement and the Daily Mail.

TdA, notorious for drug trafficking, human smuggling, and child prostitution in South America, has made its way into the U.S. amid a wave of Venezuelan migrants.

The gang has been implicated in crimes across Miami, Texas, Denver, and New York, unleashing a wave of violence wherever its members have settled.

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The gang’s presence in U.S. cities has garnered more attention after ABC’s Martha Raddatz downplayed their reach in Aurora, Colorado.

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However, just last week, a raid in San Antonio saw police arrest 19 individuals, including four members of the gang, in connection with illegal activities at the Palatia Apartments.

According to law enforcement, the gang had taken control of the Palatia Apartments for months, using the complex as a base for drug dealing and prostitution, including exploiting women and children.

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Shockingly, this is just a fraction of the issue, as authorities confirmed that three other apartment complexes in the city are also occupied by TdA, although those locations remain undisclosed to protect ongoing investigations.

In a pre-dawn raid on October 5, hundreds of officers swarmed the Palatia Apartments after weeks of investigation. Neighbors described the scene as chaotic, with helicopters, drones, and heavily armed police storming the area. “Every department was here, they were wearing helmets and body armor,” said one resident.

The gang’s grip isn’t limited to Texas. Tren de Aragua has a history of infiltrating communities across the U.S., from Denver to the southern border in Juarez, Mexico. There, the gang kidnaps and exploits asylum-seeking migrants, further profiting from the humanitarian crisis caused by the Venezuelan regime.

As former Colorado ICE director John Fabbricatore explained, the gang is deeply involved in prostitution, which they use as a way to push drugs onto vulnerable people.

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In South Texas, the gang has set up operations just north of San Antonio’s Migrant Resource Center, a shelter run by Catholic Charities. Thanks to an undercover officer embedded in the shelter, intelligence was gathered, leading to the recent raid at Palatia Apartments.

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus has vowed to continue the crackdown, stating, “We know who you are, and we’re coming for you.”

The gang’s reign of terror isn’t over, with more arrests expected in the near future. However, locals remain fearful, with many worried that city officials aren’t fully acknowledging the threat.

Joe Jones, president of the San Antonio Firefighter’s Association, expressed his concerns, saying city hall is downplaying the gang’s presence, even as emergency responders worry for their own safety. Firefighters, dressed similarly to police officers, are unarmed, making them particularly vulnerable in gang-controlled areas.

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