Federal officials have apprehended 16 individuals affiliated with the Anti-Tren gang in Texas. This faction opposes the Tren de Aragua (TdA), a notorious Venezuelan prison gang. The operation marks the most substantial action against Anti-Tren to date.

Among the arrested, 14 face charges for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 5 kilograms of cocaine, while two others are accused of various weapons offenses, stemming from allegations of firearm possession and sales, as reported by the Justice Department.

“This operation represents the most significant capture of suspected Anti-Tren members and associates by the FBI to date, occurring right here in Houston,” stated FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “These suspects are believed to be engaged in a territorial conflict with TdA affiliates and are implicated in numerous violent incidents around our city, including a mass shooting at a local sports bar that injured six people.”

Charges alleged that Anti-Tren is a criminal organization mostly composed of former TdA members known for its deadly turf wars, as well as gun and drug trafficking.

Map of Tren de Aragua presence in the United States as of December 2024. (Fox News Digital)

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case with the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), which was created to combat MS-13 and expanded to include TdA under Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The 16 arrests come as part of Operation Take Back America, “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime,” according to the DOJ.