Neighbor says after arrests of Tren de Aragua gang members

SAN ANTONIO – Andy Martinez says he was in bed at the Palatia Apartments on Sahara Street when police cleared nearly 300 vacant units Saturday morning.

“I’m sleeping, and they’re banging and banging — and I mean loud,” Martinez said.

Martinez remembers seeing several law enforcement agencies. The multi-agency operation came after several complaints of human trafficking and drug violations.

The operation ended with 19 people arrested and 15 of them detained by Homeland Security Investigations officials.

“This is an ongoing investigation,” San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said. “Even though we are done here at the complex, we are not done yet. This investigation has been in the works for weeks.”

SAPD confirmed that four of the arrested people are members of the Venezuelan gang called ‘Tren de Aragua’, also known as TDA.

TDA is a transnational gang that, according to authorities, engages in human smuggling, kidnapping, extortion and drug trafficking.

The gang has expanded across the United States, including New York, Colorado and Texas.

Martinez said he lived above some of the people who were arrested for months.

“There are a lot of Venezuelans selling drugs and a lot of whatever, and they don’t care,” Martinez said.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar also spoke about the gang’s presence just days before these arrests.

“We are aware that Tren de Aragua, as well as the Mexican drug cartels, are all operating here in Bexar County,” Salazar said. “That’s one of the main reasons why we set up organized crime groups several years ago, knowing that these kinds of things were happening. Quite recently, we actually spun off a team from that organized crime group to focus solely on transnational criminal organizations, thanks to organizations like Tren de Aragua.”

McManus said there is no threat to the public, but the department’s work is not done.

“We’re on to you, and we’re coming after you,” McManus said. “We know where you are and we’re coming for you.”

KSAT visited the Palatia Apartment Homes office on Saturday. The office is open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, there was a sign on the door stating that the office was closed until Monday, October 7 due to emergencies.