Matthew Podolsky, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, along with other key officials such as U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi and NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch, announced significant indictments today against 27 alleged members and associates of Tren de Aragua (TdA) and a group known as Anti-Tren. The defendants face charges of racketeering, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, robbery, and firearms offenses spread across two superseding indictments.
The organizations, identified as criminal enterprises operating both in the United States and internationally, have been spotlighted for criminal activities that include the trafficking of young women from Venezuela for sex work, drug distribution, and violent crimes. Podolsky stated, “Today, we have filed charges against 27 alleged members, former members, and associates of Tren de Aragua, for committing murders and shootings, forcing young women trafficked from Venezuela into commercial sex work, robbing and extorting small businesses, and selling ‘tusi,’ a pink powdery drug that has become their calling card.”
The first superseding indictment targets six alleged members of TdA, while the second one charges 21 individuals tied to Anti-Tren. According to the charges, TdA and Anti-Tren engaged in a range of illicit activities aimed at preserving their power, expanding territories, and enriching members. Bondi characterized TdA as a terrorist organization, stating, “As alleged, 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.”
The NYPD has identified Tren de Aragua as a significant threat. Tisch remarked, “For the first time ever, TdA is being named and charged as the criminal enterprise that it is. This isn’t just street crime—it’s organized racketeering, and this gang has shown zero regard for the safety of New Yorkers.”
The indictments reveal a broad geographical scope of criminal operations, including activities in New York, New Jersey, and locations abroad such as Venezuela and Peru. The cases are being handled by U.S. District Judges Denise L. Cote and Mary Kay Vyskocil. Each indictment includes a detailed list of crimes and potential penalties, aimed at dismantling this extensive network allegedly involved in organized crime and terror.