16 Anti-Tren Gang Members Arrested in Texas in Largest Crackdown Yet

July 2, 2025 – In a major blow to organized crime, federal authorities in Houston, Texas, arrested 16 suspected members and associates of the Anti-Tren gang, a violent offshoot of the notorious Venezuelan Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang, in what the FBI calls its largest takedown of the group to date. The operation, announced Monday, targeted a cocaine and firearms trafficking ring linked to a March mass shooting at a Houston sports bar that left six people wounded.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas charged the 16 individuals, mostly Venezuelan nationals residing illegally in the U.S., with conspiracy to traffic over five kilograms of cocaine and various weapons offenses. The charges allege Anti-Tren, composed largely of former TdA members, seeks to preserve its power through violence, including attempted murder and threats against TdA members, while enriching itself through drug and gun trafficking. Key suspects include Luis Miguel Claros Sarmiento, 26, and Raul Armando Ramirez Correa, 24, among others, with some facing up to life in prison and fines up to $10 million if convicted.

“This is the largest takedown of suspected Anti-Tren members by the FBI so far,” said Douglas Williams, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Houston Field Office. The operation, part of “Operation Take Back America,” involved the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals, ICE, Texas DPS, and Houston Police, highlighting a coordinated effort to curb transnational crime.

The arrests underscore Texas’ aggressive stance against TdA and its splinter groups, with Governor Greg Abbott designating TdA a foreign terrorist organization in 2024. Authorities continue to investigate Anti-Tren’s activities, signaling more crackdowns to come.