Archive · 8 Nov 2025
Spanish Police Bust First Tren de Aragua Cell in Spain
Imagine a big, bad group from Venezuela called Tren de Aragua that does very illegal things like selling drugs and is known to be violent.
They started in a prison and have spread to many countries.
Now, police in Spain have caught the first group of these bad guys there.
They arrested 13 people in different Spanish cities.
They also found places where the group was making special drugs, like a colorful one called 'tusi'.
This is important because the police think this group was trying to start causing trouble in Spain and Europe.
The United States has even called this group a 'terrorist organization' because they are so widespread and dangerous.
The police are still investigating to stop them from doing more harm.
Spanish police arrested 13 alleged members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua criminal organization.
Raids were conducted in five Spanish cities: Barcelona, Madrid, Girona, A Coruña, and Valencia.
Authorities seized illegal drugs and shut down two laboratories producing the synthetic drug 'tusi'.
Tren de Aragua originated in Venezuelan prisons and has evolved into a transnational criminal network.
The US government designated Tren de Aragua as a global terrorist organization in 2024.
- Who
- Spanish police and 13 alleged members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua criminal organization.
- What
- Spanish police arrested 13 alleged members of the Tren de Aragua, dismantled two drug labs producing synthetic narcotics, and seized illegal drugs.
- When
- Officials announced the arrests on Friday; the investigation began last year.
- Where
- Raids were conducted in Barcelona, Madrid, Girona, A Coruña, and Valencia, Spain. The gang originated in Venezuelan prisons and has spread across the continent and to the US.
- Why
- The operation is part of Spain's first major effort against a perceived local cell of the Tren de Aragua, which has been expanding its operations internationally.
Law Enforcement
Tren de Aragua
Criminal Activities
Law Enforcement
The Tren de Aragua is a violent transnational criminal network involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, and extortion. The recent operation targeted their efforts to produce synthetic drugs like 'tusi' and establish a presence in Europe.
Tren de Aragua
The group originated in Venezuelan prisons and has grown into one of Latin America's most powerful criminal networks, expanding across continents.
US Involvement
Law Enforcement
The US government designated Tren de Aragua as a global terrorist organization and is conducting military strikes against drug operations in South American waters, viewing it as an armed conflict with drug cartels.
Tren de Aragua
The group's expansion is partly attributed to millions of Venezuelans fleeing economic collapse, which has allowed the network to spread.
- Arrested Individuals
- 13
- Crime Group
- Tren de Aragua
- Location of Raids
- Barcelona, Madrid, Girona, A Coruña, Valencia
- Seized Items
- Illegal drugs, two laboratories producing 'tusi' (synthetic drug)
- Origin
- Venezuelan prisons
- US Designation
- Global terrorist organization in 2024
