Eight alleged members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA) are facing federal charges in Tennessee, accused of orchestrating a sex trafficking operation. Law enforcement officials, including representatives from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the DEA, announced the indictment during a press conference, detailing a scheme involving the transportation of women from South America to the U.S. for forced prostitution.

The indictment alleges the defendants used coercion and threats to compel the women into commercial sex acts, generating profit for the gang. Three defendants face additional charges related to sex trafficking using force, fraud, and coercion. One defendant is also charged with unlawful possession of firearms as an undocumented immigrant. Authorities confirmed all defendants are currently in federal custody.

Officials described how the victims were lured from South America with false promises of a better life, only to be subjected to intimidation and exploitation upon arrival. The indictment further claims that some defendants leveraged their TdA affiliation to threaten victims with insurmountable debt, forcing them to continue engaging in commercial sex work.

In a separate incident, three suspected TdA members were arrested in Houston in connection with a multi-state sex trafficking ring. Additionally, ICE apprehended an alleged TdA member in Raleigh, suspected of involvement in a mass shooting in Chicago. The individual, who had illegally entered the U.S., was found with a firearm, ammunition, and ten other Venezuelan nationals. This arrest follows a recent surge in immigration enforcement actions, with over 8,000 arrests reported since January 20th.