Homeland Security Warns Dangerous Gang Is In 16 States Including NJ

This news is certainly unsettling.

New Jersey, along with several other U.S. states, is seeing an uptick in gang activity from the Venezuelan prison gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA), according to the New York Post.

This violent criminal group, which started in Venezuela, has now branched out to at least 16 states, including the Garden State.

Homeland Security warning about the TdA gang presence in the U.S.

Homeland Security officials recently warned about the gang's presence, with concerns about how they could affect local communities.

The U.S. states with this gang's presence include California, Colorado, Georgia, Louisiana, Nevada, New York, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and like I said, New Jersey.

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Plus, more rural states like Montana and Wyoming are also seeing signs of TdA activity.

The gang may be recruiting more members in NJ

New Jersey, known for its diverse population, has become a key area for the gang, as it looks to recruit new members and commit various crimes.

Members of TdA gang are involved in everything from thefts and robberies to more sophisticated fraud schemes.

The gang steals and then sends what they've stolen back to South America to fund other illegal things.

Gang members are crossing the U.S. border with migrant groups

Many TdA members have crossed the border in big migrant groups since there's a lack of communication between U.S. and Venezuelan authorities, the article states.

As the population of Venezuelans in the U.S. continues to grow, experts warn that the risk of violent encounters with TdA members will likely increase.

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In New Jersey, authorities are closely monitoring the situation to prevent the gang from expanding too much.

For more information on this situation, click here.