The deadly Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) has taken over several apartment complexes in San Antonio, Texas, as it continues to wreck havoc on American cities.
Police officers stormed through an apartment complex in San Antonio last week. The raid resulted in 19 arrests, which included four gang members, according to the Daily Mail.
It was revealed that TdA had set up at the Palatia Apartments, where it has been operating for the past three to six months, law enforcement sources confirmed.
In that time, the gang squatted empty units, using them for conducting cocaine deals and prostitution, exploiting women and children.
They also rented out some of the units to other illegal immigrants.
Law enforcement sources confirmed that there are three other apartment complexes that have been taken over by the dangerous gang; however, the outlet did not disclose their names due to law enforcement’s ongoing investigations.
In the early hours of Oct. 5, over 100 law enforcement officers moved in on Palatia Apartments after spending several weeks investigating reports of the gang in the area.
Fox San Antonio reported that law enforcement was initially tipped off after an undercover officer positioned at an illegal immigrant shelter was able to gain inside information.
Neighbors told the Daily Mail that they were woken up around 5 a.m. by sounds coming from drones, helicopters and doors being kicked in. One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told the outlet that officers pointed a rifle at her husband when he stepped outside.
“Every department was here. They were wearing helmets and body armor,” she said. “My husband came outside in his boxers and had a rifle held to him. They said, ‘Who are you?’ He said, ‘I live here.’ They asked, ‘Where are you from?’ He said Pennsylvania and that was the end of that.”
Officers arrested 19 people after searching more than 300 units. Four of them were confirmed to be gang members.
“One TdA member is a confirmed ‘enforcer’ for that gang, and 15 were in the country illegally,” said William McManus, the city’s top officer.
He also added that drugs, women and children were being sold in the units by mobsters who flashed their gang tattoos. One resident confirmed that they were prostituting the women and children.
“There was a lot of them and watching all the women and children being put into a paddy wagon, I was like,’Aah!’” the anonymous resident said.
Apartment staffers who caught on to TdA’s scheme were threatened.
Law enforcement believes that the gang has similar operations at the three other apartment complexes it is investigating.
“We know who you are, and we’re coming for you. This is just the first place that we’re hitting,” said McManus. “We’ve got other places that we’re going to hit.”
A resident from one of the three complexes said the gang members stand out from other Venezuelans entering the building by actively intimidating everyone they encounter.
“They act like they own the place. There’s one Venezuelan here – they call him “the boss” and his face is covered in tattoos. I’m honestly afraid of him,” said the resident, who wished to remain anonymous due to fearing for her safety.”
