SAN ANTONIO (KWTX) — Federal authorities arrested 143 people in a Nov. 16 operation targeting criminal activity near San Pedro Avenue, with 51 confirmed members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua among those detained, according to the FBI San Antonio Field Office.
143 arrested in major Tren de Aragua gang sweep in San Antonio(FBI San Antonio)
The operation focused on 5939 San Pedro Avenue, an area authorities said had become a gathering point for individuals linked to TdA and other criminal elements involved in drug distribution, illegal weapons possession and human trafficking.
The arrests were part of the newly established Homeland Security Task Force – South Texas, announced last week by the FBI San Antonio Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Field Office. The task force serves as a model for combating threats from transnational criminal organizations, according to the FBI.
143 arrested in major Tren de Aragua gang sweep in San Antonio(FBI San Antonio)
Texas Department of Public Safety assisted in executing a state search warrant at the location. All 143 individuals were taken into ICE custody for immigration proceedings, according to the FBI.
The detained individuals included 98 Venezuelans, 21 Hondurans, 14 Mexicans, 4 Cubans, 2 Ecuadorians, and one each from Nicaragua, Peru, Guatemala and El Salvador, the FBI said.
Twenty-five of those arrested had criminal histories in the United States, including 13 felonies and 12 misdemeanors, according to the FBI.
“Transnational criminal organizations have driven violence into communities across the country making it nearly impossible for many to avoid the impacts of drug-related criminal enterprises and related criminal activity,” the FBI said in a statement. “It is essential that we work collaboratively to confront these threats early while upholding the rule of law.”
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