Tren de Aragua Leader Wanted For Kidnapping, Burglary In Colorado Arrested In NYC Raid

The alleged ringleader of a Tren de Aragua cell has been arrested in raid in New York City months after going viral for a video that showed three heavily armed men breaking into an apartment in the city of Aurora, Colorado.

The arrest of Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco took place in the early hours of Tuesday. According to the New York Post, he was living in an apartment building in The Bronx just across from an elementary school. Sources also told the outlet that he had an arrest warrant from Colorado for several charges including kidnapping, burglary and menacing.

Kristi Noem, President Donald Trump's new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary, shared a video on her X social media account which showed a man being led in handcuffs from an apartment building during one of the raids, although the footage makes it unclear if the suspect was Zambrano-Pacheco.

Although it has not been confirmed when Zambrano-Pacheco traveled to New York, neighbors at the Ogden Avenue residential building recall that the suspect, along with a woman and several children, had been living in the apartment for several months.

"They moved in September or October of this past year. They were very cooperative and very friendly," said Emanuel Joseph, a neighbor across the hallway from where the immigration raids took place.

Other neighbors told the Post they recalled witnessing officers smashing the apartment door with a crowbar before arresting Zambrano-Pacheco. "When they brought him out, he had shackles on his wrists to his feet," said another neighbor.

Tren de Aragua gained national attention in the U.S. after the video showing armed men entering an apartment in Aurora, Colorado. In the last several months, the group has been linked to criminal activities across the U.S., including sex trafficking, drug smuggling and homicides.

Dismantling Tren de Aragua cells

The Venezuelan-born gang is one of Trump's priorities during his immigration crackdown, according to former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director Ronald Vitiello.

The gang has been declared a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration, which has also vowed to remove its members from the country.

Trump had anticipated his willingness to designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations during his inaugural speech. "Under the orders I'll signed today, we will also be designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations," he said, adding that, under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, he will crack down on foreign criminal gangs.

The designation as foreign terrorist organization enables the U.S. government to impose financial sanctions, block bank accounts, deport members, bar their entry into the country, and even conduct security or military operations against these groups.

The Trump administration is reportedly negotiating a deal with its Salvadorean counterpart for the latter to receive deportees from third countries, CBS News reported, including potential Tren de Aragua members.