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NEW YORK CITY - The NYPD�s Detective Bureau is tracking the dangerous Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, made up of young migrants � some just
11 years old � who are believed to have arrived as NYC experienced an
influx of asylum seekers.

Jason Savino, assistant chief at the NYPD Detective Bureau, said on
Good Day New York that this is the first time "we've seen structure
with Tren de Aragua."

"Now, we're seeing that structure. There's actually kick-ups where
people are recruiting these younger members as young as 11, and they've
been described as some of these robbery incidents as young as 8 years
old," Savino said.

According to police, the gang�s crimes have become more brazen, with
members even posting their weapons on social media.

"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.

"[Times Square] is their threshold, that's where they feel comfortable,
that's where they post to social media." Jason Savino, assistant chief
at the NYPD Detective Bureau

Savino continued: "What started out as a robbery crew, upwards of 50
robberies � 20 individuals � arrested for upwards of 50 robberies,"
Savino said. "And out of those 20 individuals, every single one of them
is on the streets today."

�Little Devils�
Meanwhile, "Los Diablos de la 42" -- Spanish for "Little Devils of 42nd Street"-- have proven to be a big problem for Times Square and the
NYPD.

"[Times Square is] their threshold, that's where they feel comfortable,
that's where they post to social media," Savino said.

Police officials say they're working to nab members of the Los Diablos
� a subset of the Tren de Aragua. Sources tell the New York Post about
20 young migrants are targeting locals and tourists in numerous
robberies and other crimes at the "Crossroads of the World."

"There is no deterrence," the source added. "You have a 15-year-old who continues to treat our city like his personal video game."

What is Tren de Aragua?
Tren de Aragua, which translates to Aragua Train, began in 2012 among
trade union members in the Aragua province of Venezuela who used the
country's rail system for crime, according to the New York Post.

The gang is involved in robberies, drug dealing and human trafficking throughout South America, and authorities warn that the group is
looking to expand its international empire, according to the Post.

Earlier this year, Deputy Inspector Nicholas Fiore said the NYPD
recorded a "tremendous" surge in moped robberies that they believe are orchestrated by Tren de Aragua recruits.

"There are orders coming from Columbia and from Venezuela, [they move]
to Miami and then to New York," Fiore said.

Bernardo Raul Castro-Mata, the Venezuelan migrant accused of shooting
two NYPD officers earlier this year during a traffic stop, reportedly
confessed to police that gang members were instructed to shoot police
officers.

In court, Queens Assistant District Attorney Lauren Reilly said that
Mata had told investigators that members of Tren de Aragua were
smuggling firearms into city shelters inside food packages that do not
have to go through metal detectors.

Savino told Good Day he's concerned about gang warfare.

"We do believe there's a spillover from Venezuela, where a homicide did
occur," he said. "So this could be the continued beef from Venezuela, tremendously concerning, but that would ignite the fire. We're on top
of it, and we'll certainly prevent it."

https://www.fox5ny.com/news/nyc-crime-venezuelan-gang-tren-de-aragua-
nypd

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