Feds Drop First-Ever Racketeering Charges on Tren de Aragua Migrant Gang in Major New York Crackdown

Federal prosecutors have filed the first-ever RICO racketeering charges against members and associates of the notorious migrant gang Tren de Aragua, marking a landmark moment in the fight against transnational organized crime in the U.S.

The sweeping charges, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, are part of "Operation Take Back America." This nationwide initiative aims to repel illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. Ambitious? Maybe. But the stakes are about as high as it gets.

A total of 27 alleged current and former Tren de Aragua members are facing charges that include human smuggling, sex trafficking, and murder. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky summed up the grim rap sheet: murders, shootings, trafficking young Venezuelan women into commercial sex, robbing and extorting businesses, and peddling ‘tusi,’ a pink powdery drug that’s apparently become their signature. (If your gang is known for a specific color of drugs, you’re definitely not flying under the radar.)

These charges were split across two indictments: one targeting six alleged current members and another aimed at 21 members and associates of "Anti-Tren," a splinter group made up of former TdA members. The Justice Department has officially labeled Tren de Aragua—and several other migrant gangs—as foreign terrorist organizations.

Authorities report that 21 of the 27 individuals are already in federal custody. Sixteen were previously held on other criminal or immigration charges, and five were arrested in recent days. Most suspects are in their twenties, with the oldest clocking in at 44, facing multiple potential life sentences if convicted.

The indictments run the gamut from racketeering and sex trafficking to drug trafficking, carjacking conspiracy, robbery, illegal firearms possession, and extortion. Among the most disturbing allegations: trafficking "multadas"—indentured sex workers—from Venezuela into Peru and the U.S., then keeping them trapped through threats, violence, and even murder.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi declared that the indictments and arrests, spanning three states, will devastate TdA’s infrastructure and signal a push to completely dismantle the organization. According to Bondi, "Tren de Aragua is not just a street gang. It is a highly structured terrorist organization that has destroyed American families with brutal violence, engaged in human trafficking, and spread deadly drugs through our communities."

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch praised the crackdown as the first time TdA is being prosecuted as a criminal enterprise, highlighting the gang’s disregard for New Yorkers’ safety. She noted the group’s alleged involvement in trafficking women, drug distribution, and violent crimes with illegal firearms. "Thanks to the dedicated members of the NYPD and the important work of our federal partners, their time is up," Tisch stated.

The statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office also credited Joint Task Force Vulcan—initially formed to target the infamous MS-13 gang—as a key player in the operation against Tren de Aragua. Clearly, the feds are swinging for the fences on this one.