Law enforcement sources have reported that a suspected leader of the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, wanted in Colorado for a high-profile burglary caught on surveillance video, has been arrested in the Bronx during a Homeland Security operation on Tuesday.
Homeland Security Investigations officers apprehended Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, 25, in a swift operation at an apartment building on Ogden Avenue. The raid, which took place in the early morning, involved the joint efforts of DEA and ICE agents, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Zambrano-Pacheco is being sought in connection with various charges in Colorado, which include kidnapping, burglary, and menacing. According to authorities, he is believed to be one of the armed suspects captured on surveillance footage, forcefully entering an Aurora apartment last August, located just outside Denver.
The federal authorities are making ongoing efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations operating within the United States, and they have achieved a significant breakthrough with the capture of the gang leader. Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that has been expanding its influence in both North and South America, has been involved in various illicit activities such as drug trafficking, extortion, and human smuggling operations.
It is still uncertain whether Zambrano-Pacheco will be extradited to Colorado to face the charges related to the Aurora incident, as officials have not yet confirmed this.
Federal law enforcement’s coordinated effort to address threats posed by international gangs on U.S. soil is highlighted by the recent high-profile arrest.
