US Treasury sanctions leaders of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua

(Reuters): The U.S. Treasury said on Thursday it has sanctioned the top leaders of Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua for being involved in criminal activities including illicit drug trade, human trafficking and money laundering.

The sanctions target Tren de Aragua’s leader Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as Nino Guerrero and five other key leaders and affiliates of the criminal gang, the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said.

The State Department has designated Tren de Aragua a foreign terrorist organization.

“The Trump Administration will not allow Tren de Aragua to continue to terrorize our communities and harm innocent Americans… Treasury remains dedicated to dismantling Tren de Aragua and disrupting the group’s campaign of violence,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed Tren de Aragua is coordinating its U.S. activities with the Venezuelan government of President Nicolas Maduro, and used the supposed connection to justify deportations of alleged members to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador.

At least one top U.S. official has acknowledged Maduro’s government may not specifically direct the gang.