Spanish Authorities Detain 13 in Tren de Aragua Gang Crackdown

Madrid, Nov 7 (AP) Spanish authorities have detained 13 individuals suspected of being affiliated with the notorious Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, officials stated on Friday.

The arrests occurred across five cities in Spain, marking the initial operation aimed at dismantling a suspected cell of this Venezuelan prison gang, which the U.S. government had labeled a foreign terrorist organization in February, according to a police statement.

This gang has become prominently involved in the Trump administration's military operations targeting suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean, as well as playing a role in its domestic immigration enforcement efforts.

During the operation, Spanish police dismantled two laboratories producing tusi— a concoction of cocaine, MDMA, and ketamine. They also seized other synthetic drugs and cocaine.

This series of arrests follows an investigation initiated by Spanish police last year, after the apprehension of the brother of "Nino Guerrero," the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang, who was captured in Barcelona under an international warrant issued by Venezuelan authorities.

The Tren de Aragua gang originated over a decade ago in a notoriously unruly Venezuelan prison located in the central state of Aragua. It has rapidly expanded in recent years, coinciding with the exodus of over 7.7 million Venezuelans seeking to escape economic hardship, migrating to countries across Latin America, the U.S., and Spain.

On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced another significant strike against a suspected drug ferrying vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, increasing the death toll from its operations in South American waters to at least 66 individuals across at least 16 separate strikes.

President Donald Trump has defended these measures, asserting that the U.S. is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels, including the Tren de Aragua gang.

The apprehension of these 13 individuals occurred in the Spanish cities of Barcelona, Madrid, Girona, A Coruña, and Valencia. (AP)

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