The Aragua train has been linked to a series of kidnappings, extortion and other crimes throughout the western hemisphere related to a massive exodus of migrants from Venezuela, where the gang was created more than a decade ago
The Peruvian and American authorities captured 23 members of the Venezuelan Transnational Train of Aragua and rescued 84 victims of trafficking in persons for the purpose of sexual exploitation in various parts of Lima, authorities reported on Saturday.
General Aldo Dávila, police chief against trafficking in persons, declared in a press conference that among the detainees were 12 Venezuelan nationality and 11 Peruvians, as well as among the rescued three minors, two Venezuelan and one Peruvian, AP.
Earlier, in a statement released on Saturday by the United States Embassy, it was indicated that the operation occurred near Friday’s midnight in three populous districts of the periphery of Lima, including Santa Anita, San Martín de Porres and Puente Stone.
In eight places identified by the agents, the alleged criminals were arrested and the victims were rescued.
More than 300 Peruvian police and prosecutors as well as police officers of the National Security Investigation Unit (HSI in English) of the Immigration and Customs Control Service participated in the operation.
The American ambassador to Peru, Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath, said that the success of the operation is a testimony of the joint work to “improve the security of our citizens and our shared region.”
General Dávila said the police had sent agents of the Special Operations Division and the Special Group against Organized Crime. He added that since 2022 he works together with the US government that provides logistics support and technology, in the fight to dismantle the Aragua train that operates in several countries in the region.
*Also read: They arrest in Colombia to a member of the Aragua train in the case of Ronald Ojeda
The Aragua train has been linked to a series of kidnappings, extortion and other crimes throughout the Western hemisphere related to a massive exodus of migrants from Venezuela, where the gang was created more than a decade ago.
The Peruvian Police have captured in recent years more than a dozen members of the band, including Venezuelan Héctor Prieto, leader of the “Alayón dynasty”, a local arm of the Aragua train. According to the authorities, Prieto, nicknamed ‘Mamut’ for his more than 130 kilos, continued to direct from prison the threads of his band in Lima so he has been transferred to a remote prison in the Andes.
In September, the Chief of the Peruvian Police Víctor Zanabria indicated on the local RPP radio that Peru hoped to extradite two members of the Aragua train to the United States who were imprisoned in Challapalca, the prison located at higher altitude in the country, more than more than 4,600 meters above sea level.
*Journalism in Venezuela is exercised in a hostile environment for the press with dozens of legal instruments arranged for the punishment of the word, especially the laws “against hatred”, “against fascism” and “against blockade.” This content is being published taking into account the threats and limits that, consequently, have been imposed on the dissemination of information from within the country.
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