Dangerous Venezuelan gang is in ‘every major city’ in Tennessee

On November 15, 2024By Littum

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – State leaders are warning of a dangerous gang that has formed in prisons in Venezuela called Tren de Aragua which has been seen in every major city in Tennessee.

TBI Director David Rausch said the gang has been known for human trafficking and illegally bringing Venezuelan women to the United States and Tennessee.

Addressing Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday, Rausch said the gang had been active in the state in 2023 but had been inactive for more than a year after arrests were made. But over the past few months, Rausch said there has been an increase in activity again.

“They’re back in all our major cities. They’re running human trafficking operations, and that’s where they start,” Rausch said.

The TBI director went on to add that this gang has not only been known for human trafficking, but also organized retail theft and drug crimes.

In some cases, members of the Tren de Aragua have been known to clash with members of the cartel, which have escalated to crimes as serious as murder at all hours of the day, according to the TBI.

“They will not hesitate to attack their opponents in public or in broad daylight,” Rausch said.

While Rausch said this gang has recently been seen in every major city and metro area across the state, local law enforcement in Knoxville has seen nothing.

The Knoxville Police Department and Knox County Sheriff’s Office said they have yet to see any known members of the Tren de Aragua in their jurisdiction, but are aware of the gang’s existence and are closely monitoring any possible activity.

TBI officials said gang members used to be easily visible with distinct tattoos, but recently they’ve noticed members moving away from the universal tattoos, making it harder for investigators to spot a gang member.

Rausch clarified to Governor Lee that the TDA does not cause violence in Tennessee any more than it does in other states, and is working to alert agencies in other states to the gang’s progress.

Tren de Aragua originated as a prison gang in Aragua, Venezuela, and in recent years has rapidly expanded throughout the Western Hemisphere, according to the US Treasury Department.

The Ministry of Finance’s office for control of foreign assets sanctioned TDA as a transnational criminal organization in July 2024.