The leader of a faction of the Venezuelan mega-gang was captured in Colombia. The captured leader is a part of Tren de Aragua, which is little-known for its role in drug trafficking.Colombian police arrested Carlos Antonio López Centeno, also known as “El Pilo,” and ten other Venezuelans in northern Colombia on March 9.
Colombian police, on March 9, arrested Carlos Antonio López Centeno, alias “El Pilo,” and ten Venezuelans, along with seizing weapons, an armored vehicle, and marijuana. arrested An investigation showed that the group planned to transport 3 tons of marijuana across the border to Venezuela, along with seizing weapons and drugs during the arrest.
Colombian police and prosecutors found that the group intended to transport 3 tons of marijuana across the Venezuela border, along with seizing weapons and drugs during the arrest.
High-Profile Chile Murder Shows Tren de Aragua’s Sophistication
The Deputy Director General of the Colombian National Police stated that the criminal group is linked with the Tren de Aragua and is trying to traffic drugs from the north of Colombia to Venezuela. outsourcing The Deputy Director General of the Colombian National Police reported that the criminal group associated with the Tren de Aragua is attempting to traffic drugs from northern Colombia to Venezuela.
El Pilo, a well-known member of the gang, was previously held in Tocorón prison in Venezuela’s Aragua state, where he coordinated the organization’s operations in Güiria, Venezuela. TocorónEl Pilo, a prominent member of the gang, was previously held in Tocorón prison in Venezuela’s Aragua state, where he managed the organization’s operations in Güiria, Venezuela until it was taken over by Venezuelan security forces in September 2023.
InSight Crime Analysis
The exposure of Tren de Aragua’s criminal activities in Colombia indicates its expanding involvement in large-scale drug trafficking.
Intelligence reports accessed by InSight Crime and authorities have confirmed the gang’s involvement in drug trafficking but did not previously suggest its trafficking of such large drug quantities.
In Sucre, Tren de Aragua has been involved in monitoring vessels smuggling people and drugs, extorting money from local merchants, and finding human trafficking victims.
A local lawyer, who chose to remain anonymous, explained to InSight Crime that the group also provides security services to drug boats.
Three Stages in the Construction of the Tren de Aragua’s Transnational Empire
However, the discovery of the plan to traffic 3 tons of marijuana marks a significant development in the gang’s criminal activities and its entry into the regional drug trade.
According to the 2023 anti-drug report by Venezuela’s National Anti-Drugs Superintendence (SUNAD), the Tren de Aragua controls the Paria Peninsula in Sucre and is a key corridor for transferring drugs from Colombia to Venezuela. report Venezuela’s National Anti-Drugs Superintendence's 2023 report states that the Tren de Aragua controls the Paria Peninsula in Sucre and serves as a major corridor for transporting drugs from Colombia to Venezuela.
The The trafficking of marijuana from Venezuelan shores has been on the rise, with a 1.5-ton shipment seized in Martinique in 2022. In 2022, a 1.5-ton shipment of marijuana from Venezuela was seized in Martinique, indicating an increase in marijuana trafficking from Venezuelan shores.
Feature Image: Security forces in La Guajira overseeing weapons seized during the arrest of El Pilo and his associates. Source: Official X account (formerly Twitter) of La Guajira Police Department.