Ten members or associates of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua have been indicted on charges of running a gun trafficking scheme in New York City that stretched across the country and aspired to spread internationally, officials said Wednesday.
The indictments, announced by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, came after a more than 8-month undercover operation by the district attorney's office, New York City police and other law enforcement agencies. Six of the people charged in the 120-count indictment unsealed Wednesday were taken into custody Tuesday on firearm, drug and conspiracy charges.
The Tren de Aragua gang has been linked to a series of kidnappings, extortion and other crimes throughout the Western Hemisphere tied to a mass exodus of migrants from Venezuela, where the gang originated more than a decade ago.