Federal authorities arrested 16 members of the Anti-Tren gang, a violent rival of the notorious Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua (TdA), in Texas on Monday. This marks the largest Anti-Tren takedown to date.
Fourteen of the suspects face charges of conspiracy to possess and distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, while two others face weapons-related charges for alleged possession and sales of firearms, the Justice Department reported.
“These arrests represent the biggest FBI operation against suspected Anti-Tren members here in Houston,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “These individuals are accused of engaging in a violent turf war with TdA members, including a mass shooting at a local sports bar that left six people wounded.”
The Anti-Tren gang, largely made up of former TdA members, is known for violent clashes, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei emphasized the dual focus of the Southern District’s priorities: border security and combating violent crime. “Operation Take Back America is designed to strike hard against transnational criminal groups before they embed in our communities and threaten public safety,” Ganjei said.
If convicted on drug charges, defendants could face life imprisonment and fines up to $10 million. Those charged with weapons violations face up to 15 years behind bars.
One suspect, 25-year-old Venezuelan illegal immigrant Jose Miguel Briceno, is separately charged with unlawful ammunition possession after allegedly firing shots during a March mass shooting at Houston’s Latinas Sports Bar, injuring six people, four critically. Briceno reportedly discarded the firearm at the scene, which remains unrecovered.
Operation Take Back America is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative aimed at halting illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal groups, and safeguarding communities from violent offenders.
The case is being prosecuted with support from the DOJ’s Joint Task Force Vulcan, initially created to target MS-13 and later expanded to include Tren de Aragua under Attorney General Pam Bondi.
