In a coordinated crackdown across Spain, authorities arrested 13 individuals suspected of belonging to Venezuela’s notorious criminal organisation, and dismantled two clandestine laboratories producing synthetic narcotics. The operation, carried out in five cities, marks the first major disruption of the gang’s presence in Europe and underscores growing concerns about its international reach.
Operation Strikes Across Spain
Law enforcement agencies executed simultaneous raids in Barcelona, Madrid, Girona, A Coruña and Valencia, culminating in the arrest of 13 individuals alleged to be members of the Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua. Authorities say this marks the first time a full cell of the organisation has been targeted on Spanish soil.
During the operation, agents seized large quantities of illegal drugs and shut down two facilities used to manufacture “tusi,” a potent mix of cocaine, MDMA and ketamine.
Venezuelan Network Goes Global
Originating more than a decade ago inside a law-less prison in Venezuela’s Aragua state, the gang has since evolved into a transnational criminal network. Analysts note that the group has expanded as millions of Venezuelans emigrated amid economic turmoil, facilitating the gang’s infrastructure abroad. The U.S. government earlier this year officially designated the organisation a foreign terrorist group.
Implications for Europe’s Drug Enforcement
The Spanish action signals that European authorities are increasingly willing to target Latin-American crime groups operating locally. By dismantling domestic drug labs and arresting those suspected of facilitating cross-border trafficking, police hope to curtail the gang’s foothold in Spain—and send a warning to similar networks.
Yet experts caution that this is only a first step: Without continued international cooperation, such networks may simply relocate or reconfigure.
