By Joanna Putman
Police1
NEW YORK — The NYPD’s Detective Bureau is closely monitoring the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, which has reportedly expanded its presence in New York City amid a surge of asylum seekers, FOX 5 reported.
NYPD Detective Bureau Assistant Chief Jason Savino stated that this is the first time the gang has shown significant organizational structure in the city, with members as young as 11 years old involved in crimes, and some robbery suspects as young as 8.
Tren de Aragua, which originated in Venezuela in 2012, is notorious for its involvement in drug dealing, human trafficking and robberies across South America, according to the report. Police say the gang has grown increasingly brazen, with members openly displaying weapons on social media and committing crimes in areas like Times Square.
A subset of the gang, known as “Los Diablos de la 42" (Little Devils of 42nd Street), has been targeting locals and tourists in the Times Square area. Savino noted that the gang uses the high-profile location to flaunt their activities online, adding that despite multiple arrests for over 50 robberies, all suspects are currently back on the streets, according to the report.
“Right now, what we have, I like to call a perfect storm of sorts … tremendously brazen, absolutely ruthless individuals that have created a multitude of crimes with basically no repercussions,” Savino said.
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The NYPD continues to work to disrupt the gang’s operations and prevent potential violence, Savino said.