More than 20 people were arrested at a North Side apartment complex Saturday morning, including four members of a notorious Venezuelan criminal organization.
SAPD Police Chief William McManus said 300 vacant apartments were cleared at the complex in the 10300 block of Sahara Drive following complaints about human trafficking, narcotics and threats to apartment complex employees.
“We’ve confirmed that four TDA members are in custody, Tren De Aragua members are in custody. One member is a confirmed enforcer for that gang,” McManus said at a news conference.
Tren de Aragua has its roots in a prison in Venezuela’s state of Aragua. They have since expanded slowly into the United States. TDA is alleged to have been involved in human trafficking, narcotics, extortion, kidnapping and other criminal activities.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed a proclamation in September designating Tren de Aragua as a "foreign terrorist organization."
McManus said law enforcement has been aware of the gang's presence in San Antonio for months and of its activities in other areas of the city.
“We are onto you, we’re coming for you," McManus said. "We know where you are, and we are coming for you.”
Agencies involved in the arrests included SAPD, the Texas anti-gang unit, The Texas Department of Public Safety, The FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security — which detained another 15 people on Saturday.
Last weekend, DHS said it arrested two other people in San Antonio in connection with Tren De Aragua's firearm trafficking operation.
