In a significant development in the fight against transnational crime, federal authorities today unsealed a five-count superseding indictment against Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, also known as “Chuqui,” an alleged high-ranking member of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TdA). The charges, filed in the Southern District of Texas, mark the first instance of a TdA member being charged with terrorism-related crimes in the United States.
Flores, 24, a Venezuelan national, is accused of conspiring to provide and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. The indictment also charges him with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in Colombia, with the intention of it being distributed within the United States, as well as two substantive counts of international drug distribution.
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The Department of State officially designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on February 20th of this year.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized the gravity of the charges, stating, “TdA is not a street gang – it is a highly structured terrorist organization that put down roots in our country during the prior administration. Today’s charges represent an inflection point in how this Department of Justice will prosecute and ultimately dismantle this evil organization, which has destroyed American families and poisoned our communities.”
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the SDTX echoed this sentiment, declaring, “For the past few years, foreign gangs like TdA have more or less been able to enter the country with impunity, coming here to distribute deadly drugs and terrorize American citizens. That ends now. This Department of Justice is committed to uprooting this terrorist gang, dismantling its criminal operations, and either imprisoning its members or removing them from our country. SDTX is proud to lead this fight.”
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“TdA is a direct threat to our national security, to our communities, and to Americans,” FBI Director Kash Patel said. “Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI continues in our pursuit to eliminate this violent terrorist organization from our streets, and today’s announcement makes it clear that these criminals, especially the leaders of these cartels, have no place in our country.”
According to court documents, Flores held a high-ranking leadership position within TdA in Bogota, Colombia, and was considered part of the inner circle of the organization’s senior leadership. He is also alleged to have been responsible for the delivery of at least five kilograms of cocaine for international distribution, with the proceeds intended to further the criminal objectives of Tren de Aragua.
Colombian authorities apprehended Flores on March 31st following a provisional arrest warrant issued at the request of the United States. He remains in custody in Colombia pending further legal proceedings. A federal grand jury in Houston returned the superseding indictment on April 8th.
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DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz highlighted the collaborative effort in this case. “This joint Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-FBI operation — alongside partners in the United States and Colombia — is further evidence that we must continue to focus our efforts on members of TdA who continue to pump poison into our communities,” said Maltz. “This is another example of DEA’s tenacity to hunt these networks down, wherever they operate, and crush their evil grip on American lives.”
If convicted, Flores faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a potential fine of $10 million.
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