Chihuahua state authorities identify Tren de Aragua’s activity South of the border

JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- On Monday, the Chihuahua Public Safety Secretary, Gilberto Loya confirmed the ties 'TDA' has with other organized crime groups in other Mexican states before arriving in different border cities.

ABC-7 recently reported that Chihuahua authorities have been investigating the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang's activity in Juárez and their connections to organized crime groups on the border. Investigations started back in 2022 when the migrant surge hit the border.

Loya said they are more aware of how Tren de Aragua operates since they cross into Mexico through the southern states of Chiapas and Quintana Roo and how they move north once they are already on Mexican soil.

"In this case, we detected it (TDA) here when we began to have a large number of both kidnappings and extortions of migrants, both from the caravans and migrants who arrived alone in Ciudad Juárez," said Secretary Loya.

Chihuahua officials also confirmed whenever the families of the migrants living in Central and South American countries were being extorted, they noticed extortion was made by people with the same accent; not a Mexican one.

Secretary Loya also confirmed they are aware 'TDA' gang members have been collaborating in Central Mexico with the Mara Salvatrucha gang from El Salvador, Barrio 18, and Los Bravos in Colombia, among others.

"And here in the state of Chihuahua, we have them identified with a gang that operates mainly in Ciudad Juárez," Loya added.