Press Release: Venezuelan Gang’s Threat Leads to Actions in Aurora, Colorado
A U.S. Department of Homeland Security memo has raised alarms regarding the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), which has reportedly sanctioned members to attack law enforcement officers, including police in Denver. TdA is notorious for its wide-ranging criminal activities, including human and drug trafficking, kidnapping, and money laundering.
In response to the growing threat posed by TdA, the Biden Administration designated the gang as a “transnational criminal organization” over the summer, aligning it with other major criminal groups like MS-13 from El Salvador. This designation has propelled the gang into the national spotlight, particularly during the campaign trail for President-elect Donald Trump, who vowed to combat the group’s influence through a mass deportation initiative dubbed “Operation Aurora.”
Concerns about TdA’s activities have also manifested locally in Aurora, where the gang reportedly took over three apartment complexes. City officials responded by closing Aspen Grove, a 99-unit complex plagued by severe living conditions. Reports of cockroaches, trash accumulation, and mold contributed to this decision. Internal police communications indicate that authorities had been aware of the gang’s presence for over a year and subsequent investigations have linked gang members to serious crimes such as home invasion, kidnapping, and torture.
CBZ Management, the company operating the troubled properties in Aurora, has agreed to close another complex, The Edge at Lowry. Former tenants of Aspen Grove have filed a class-action lawsuit citing uninhabitable conditions, prompting the Colorado Attorney General’s office to investigate the company’s practices under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.
As the crisis escalates, the state grapples with the influx of over 43,000 Venezuelans seeking refuge, highlighting the complexities surrounding immigration, criminal activity, and housing conditions in the region.