New Venezuelan Criminal Network Quietly Spreads in US as Officials Warn of Explosive Rise in Violence

A new Venezuelan criminal network is reportedly expanding quietly across the United States, raising concerns among officials. As this group grows, authorities warn that it could lead to a significant increase in violence and criminal activity nationwide.

Federal authorities are increasingly concerned about the rise of a new Venezuelan criminal group, “Anti-Tren,” which is making its way across the United States and has the potential to become even more violent and dangerous than the infamous Tren de Aragua (TdA). This new gang, composed largely of former TdA members, is already notorious for its extreme violence as it seeks to dominate areas by engaging in sex trafficking, drug smuggling, and exploiting communities with limited law enforcement presence. Anti-Tren’s emergence first became widely recognized following a federal indictment in April that named 21 individuals involved in a series of criminal activities, including drug and prostitution rings operating in New York City. Prosecutors claim that the group’s dominance is maintained through murder, assault, and intimidation, particularly targeting members of rival groups like TdA.

Authorities fear that Anti-Tren is not only growing in strength but also branching out into rural parts of America, an area where law enforcement is often stretched thin and vulnerable to exploitation by gangs looking for low-risk, high-reward opportunities. Robert Charles, a former assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, expressed concerns that Anti-Tren could be evolving into a more violent and dangerous organization than even its predecessor, TdA. He pointed out that criminal groups often seek areas with fewer resources to carry out their illicit activities, and rural America provides a prime environment for these gangs to operate with less risk of detection.

The gang’s reach and violent tactics were made even more apparent in Texas, where a woman in the upscale Bluffview neighborhood near Dallas was robbed at gunpoint, tied up, and brutally assaulted by a group of individuals reportedly connected to Anti-Tren. The robbers, using Google Translate to communicate with the victim, threatened to sever her fingers if she didn’t comply, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of valuables, including designer handbags and jewelry. One of the suspects, Manuel Hernandez-Hernandez, allegedly claimed that other participants in the robbery were members of Anti-Tren, though local authorities have not publicly confirmed this link. Despite their relatively modest numbers, experts fear that Anti-Tren’s rapid growth and its ability to operate across multiple states pose an increasingly severe threat to both public safety and law enforcement efforts.

Authorities are particularly worried about the gang’s financing methods, which include armed robbery, smuggling operations, drug trafficking, and the exploitation of young Venezuelan women. With Anti-Tren expanding beyond its base in New York City, there are growing fears that law enforcement is falling behind in the fight against this new wave of criminal activity. Experts like Charles warn that if authorities fail to adequately address the rise of Anti-Tren and other similar groups, their influence will only continue to spread. As the gang continues to infiltrate new areas, including rural communities, there are concerns about the long-term implications for national security and public safety if their growth is left unchecked.

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