Concerns are mounting over the potential alliance between Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang implicated in a series of robberies across New York City, and MS-13, a notorious gang formed by Salvadoran immigrants in Los Angeles in the 1980s.
This fear has been sparked by the revelation that many of the suspected perpetrators of these crimes are illegal immigrants linked to Tren de Aragua.
An official from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has stated that while there are no reported incidents of these gangs collaborating, the possibility has led to heightened surveillance of the situation. Senior FBI agent John Morales, based in El Paso, told the New York Post that the agency is actively investigating Tren de Aragua and sharing intelligence with other authorities to prevent potential alliances with other gangs, specifically MS-13.
"Although these gangs wouldn't typically mix, the expansion and establishment of Tren de Aragua is always a concern," Morales said. "We are currently working with our local law enforcement partners and sharing intelligence to halt the growth of Tren de Aragua." Morales further explained that the gang's primary victims are often fellow Venezuelans, and they recruit new members from within the burgeoning migrant community.
Security consultant and former US marshal Robert Almonte, in an interview with the Post, cautioned that while an alliance between Tren de Aragua and MS-13 is not impossible, "it's more likely that turf wars will erupt as each gang fights to control their own criminal enterprise."
It is believed that the South American criminal organization has exploited the special privileges granted to Venezuelan migrants by the Biden administration to infiltrate the southern border and conduct their operations in New York City. Between October 2022 and September 2023, 41 members were apprehended by Customs and Border Protection.
New York Police Department Chief Detective Joe Kenny recently revealed that the gang consists of illegal immigrants residing in the city's shelter system. He identified 30-year-old Victor Parra as the leader, who allegedly uses WhatsApp to instruct his underlings about the crimes he wants them to commit, specifying the exact type of phone he wants them to steal.
Kenny stated that the stolen phones are then delivered to Parra's home in the Bronx, where he employs a technician capable of hacking into the devices. This allows him to access the victims' financial and banking apps, which he uses to conduct illegal transactions and fraudulent purchases in the United States and South America. Once the victims' bank accounts are drained, the phones are shipped to Colombia to be "reprogrammed."
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