A suspected member of the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua was among five individuals nabbed in a human trafficking crackdown by Bexar County authorities this past week. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, at a Wednesday briefing, detailed the outcome of a meticulous investigation carried out in collaboration with the Laredo Border Patrol that began in April, as reported by FOX 7 Austin.
The suspects allegedly managed to circumvent Border Patrol checkpoints to smuggle five to 15 people every week into the country. Among the ostensible ring of smugglers are 24-year-old Jose Francisco Barriento Vega of Mexico, 49-year-old Mary Lou Tula, and 44-year-old Alexis Segundo Olivo Fernandez of Venezuela. Tula is thought to be a U.S. citizen, while Vega is undocumented in the U.S.. According to the sheriff, Fernandez is suspected to belong to the Tren de Aragua, indicated by identifying tattoos and his alleged involvement in carefully avoiding Border Patrol detection. In addition to the smuggling charges, two U.S. citizens, 25-year-old Brandon Suarez and 19-year-old Bryan Suarez, were apprehended on drug possession, FOX News reported.
This human smuggling group has been associated with criminal organizations that are responsible for over $1 million in cash seizures, Salazar underlined. Moreover, he indicated that there could still be more individuals connected to this case who are yet to be brought into custody. Those arrested are currently held at Bexar County Jail while the investigation marches on.
Tren de Aragua, known colloquially as TdA, is infamous for originating from a Venezuelan prison and amplifying its criminal activities amid the country's socioeconomic chaos. The gang is known for exacting fees for basic amenities, running businesses within prison walls, and fostering networks for kidnapping and extortion. Their rise coincides with policies enacted under former President Hugo Chávez ,which saw mass incarceration rates soar, and this systemic unraveling further escalated under current President Nicolás Maduro. TdA's influence stretches beyond the borders of Venezuela, raising alarm bells for U.S. law enforcement. Sheriff Salazar wrapped up the press event by noting that there was a sixth suspect, allegedly with TdA associations, who hadn't been arrested at the time but was expected to be taken in by Border Patrol soon after.
