The Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua is believed to have given what authorities are calling the “green light” to attack and kill police officers, federal authorities have warned.
A bulletin by the Colorado Information Analysis Center, a screenshot of which was shared with Fox News Digital, warns that a police department in New Mexico have received information from federal partners that members have been encouraged to attack police officers in Denver.
“The Albuquerque New Mexico Police Department (APD) has released this officer safety bulletin to notify law enforcement of information regarding the Tren De Aragua criminal organization and reports that TDA members in Denver have been given a “green light” to fire on or attack law enforcement,” it says.
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The information was first reported by The New York Post, which cites a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) memo in Chicago providing similar information citing also “credible human sources from Colorado” and warning that “we have a TdA presence here in Chicago.” NewsNation reported that an officer safety/situation awareness bulletin had gone out to Border Patrol agents reporting similar information.
Denver Police Department told Fox News Digital that it was aware of the warning.
“As with any information about possible criminal activity that may impact other jurisdictions, details are shared across agencies. DPD is monitoring and making officers aware of the safety concerns shared by our law enforcement partners,” the statement said.
APD said it couldn’t confirm any information in media reports, and said that disclosure of internal police bulletins “could put investigations and/or officers at risk.”
HSI did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
The notification is the latest warning in regards to the Venezuelan street gang, some members of which have come across the southern border.
“Keep your eye on this gang,” Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens warned in May. “Their criminal activities represent a serious threat to our communities!”
Customs and Border Protections (CBP) has previously distributed intelligence bulletins to agents revealing the tattoos and identifiers for the gang.
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TdA is said to specialize in extortion, kidnapping, murder and sex trafficking. Federal authorities have been warning that the gang is trying to establish itself in the U.S., where police are already linking it to organized crime. The FBI has also warned that the gang could team up with the bloodthirsty MS-13.
The gang drew additional attention when it emerged that the brother of the suspect in the killing of Georgia student Laken Riley had ties to the gang. Both are Venezuelan illegal immigrants. Recently the Treasury designated Tren de Aragua a significant transnational criminal organization and offered financial rewards for the conviction of three of its leaders.
John Fabbricatore, a former ICE field office director who is now running for a congressional seat in Colorado as a Republican, told Fox News Digital that the gang has got a foothold in the state and is taking over apartment buildings. He said that the gang has taken advantage of the ongoing border crisis.
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“This whole border situation over the last three and a half years has allowed countless criminals to be allowed into the United States, and we’re seeing an uptick in crime, especially in illegal immigrant crime throughout the US, and sanctuary cities are just magnetizing it,” he said.
He also joined others in warning about the gang, saying they are involved in drug trafficking, large-scale operations and other crimes.
“For United States citizens, for people here within the United States, they are a dangerous gang. And with them just putting out a green light on police officers here in the United States, we could potentially see police officers being shot at by these gang members because they do not fear the law enforcement in the United States,” he said.
