In the early hours of a quiet Sunday morning, the usually buzzing San Pedro Avenue and Basse Road intersection on San Antonio's North Side became the center of a major federal raid. As confirmed by the FBI's San Antonio office, more than 150 individuals were detained in an operation targeting members of the Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal organization. The FBI, accompanied by Homeland Security Investigations and various other law enforcement agencies, executed a court-authorized operation around 3 a.m., according to a statement obtained by Fox San Antonio.
The raid took place amidst the food trucks and cars at a local lot that also harbors a club in the back, which law enforcement suspects as a base for the gang's operations. Helicopters overhead provided aerial support as multiple agencies surrounded the area, as described by videos that showed blasts and smoke billowing, according to the Fox San Antonio.
An FBI statement released on Sunday corroborated these events, with further information yet to be divulged. "I can confirm that FBI San Antonio and Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio, along with their local, state, and federal partners, are conducting court-authorized activity in the vicinity of the intersection of San Pedro Ave. and Basse Rd. in San Antonio, Texas. Additional information will be released as it becomes available," the FBI said, as stated by Fox San Antonio.
A food truck employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, told News 3 Las Vegas, "They were taking everybody. they even took a couple with a baby in their arms." This chaotic scene captured the essence of the operation, where law enforcement sources have confirmed that the detainees hailed from Mexico, Honduras, and Venezuela. The authorities have not yet released the identities of those detained during the operation or the specific charges they may face.
