Tren de Aragua originally started as a notorious crime organization in Venezuela's Tocoron prison. However, under the leadership of Niño Guerrero, it has grown from a simple prison gang into an international crime network.

According to U.S. law enforcement, this organization is involved in various crimes, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, and money laundering, and has expanded its activities not only in South America but also into parts of the United States and Europe. In particular, in recent years, the U.S. has begun to view Tren de Aragua not just as a criminal organization but as a threat to national security.

U.S. law enforcement reports that the organization is involved in illegal immigration, human trafficking, operating prostitution rings, drug distribution, arms trafficking, extortion, and money laundering. The existence of the organization became known as members were arrested in places like New York, Texas, Colorado, and Florida.

The U.S. Department of Justice charged over 20 members of the organization in 2025 under RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act), and some members faced charges of murder, promoting prostitution, robbery, and drug offenses. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that Tren de Aragua members were found guilty of involvement in a double homicide in New York.

The U.S. government designated this organization as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2025 and offered a reward of up to $5 million for Niño Guerrero.

Niño Guerrero became an international fugitive after escaping from the Tocoron prison in Venezuela in 2023. His whereabouts were unknown for some time, but it is reported that this operation was executed after a joint effort by U.S. and Venezuelan intelligence agencies.

The U.S. government has assessed him as the founder and de facto decision-maker of Tren de Aragua. The significance of this incident is not only due to the removal of a single crime organization leader but also because it marks a rare joint operation between U.S. and Venezuelan authorities, who have long been in conflict.

The U.S. Department of Defense stated that it conducted the operation in close cooperation with Venezuelan security authorities, which was officially confirmed by the Venezuelan side as well. However, crime experts point out that the removal of the organization's leader does not necessarily mean the dismantling of the organization. Tren de Aragua has already spread into several countries in a cell structure, and some regions have seen the emergence of factions operating independently. Therefore, the analysis suggests that the organization is unlikely to collapse immediately just because Niño Guerrero is gone.

Nevertheless, this operation is regarded as one of the most significant blows to one of South America's largest crime organizations. It also serves as a message from the U.S. government that it intends to treat international crime organizations at the level of terrorist organizations.

Tren de Aragua has grown from a prison gang in Venezuela over the past decade into an international crime network.

And now, the figure that symbolized that organization has disappeared. Whether this massive crime organization will split, see a new successor emerge, or be restructured into a stronger form is a new point of interest for law enforcement agencies worldwide.