by Marielbis Rojas
The Miami Sector of Custom Border Protection reported that agents arrested a Venezuelan citizen “who was identified as a member of the Tren de Aragua gang” in Palm Beach.
Chief Border Patrol Agent Jeffrey Dinise said on his X account that the suspect “has a criminal record for assault with a deadly weapon.”
“U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a Venezuelan national who was identified as a Tren de Aragua gang member. He has a criminal record for assault w/a deadly weapon. Our agents continue to keep our communities safe,” Dinise added.
Palm Beach, FL: U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a Venezuelan national who was identified as a 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐚 gang member. He has a criminal record for assault w/ a deadly weapon. Our agents continue to keep our communities safe. #palmbeach #borderpatrol #arrest pic.twitter.com/ni3qCvu9fI
— Jeffrey Dinise (@USBPChiefMIP) December 10, 2024
According to a search of police records, the suspect’s photo belongs to Miguel Moreno Contrera (pictured above), 19, who was arrested on March 1, 2024 in Palm Beach, where Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence is located. A local CBS news affiliate reported that he was released on a $7,500 bond less than 14 hours after his booking.
Researchers have traced the origins of the Aragua Train to the Tocorón prison, in the Venezuelan state of Aragua, sometime between 2013 and 2015.
The gang has managed to go head to head with other groups established in Venezuela and obtain heavy weapons. It is estimated that it has some 2,700 members, including hitmen and collaborators, and that it has already managed to operate criminally in Colombia, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador and Panama, with a significant increase in its activities abroad during the year. 2020.
The Aragua Train has committed murders and extortions with the aim of increasing territorial control over drug trafficking and smuggling.
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Marielbis Rojas is a Venezuelan journalist and communications professional with a degree in Social Communication from UCAB. She is a news reporter for ADN America.
