BOGOTA – One of the founders of the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua, Larry Amaury Álvarez, known by the alias “Larry Changa”, was arrested in Colombia, the government announced on Monday.
“Wanted by Venezuela and Chile with an arrest warrant in 196 countries by Interpol (…) Larry Changa was captured by the National Police,” Gustavo Petro reported.
The arrest of “one of the three founders of the Aragua Train,” according to the government, took place in the municipality of Circasia, in the department of Quindío (central-west).
“He would have arrived in Colombia in 2022, obtaining false documents and was in charge of the criminal strategy for the territorial expansion of the Aragua Train” in that country, indicated the Colombian Ministry of Defense.
He also stressed that “in Venezuela and Chile he was wanted for terrorism, arms and ammunition trafficking, aggravated extortion, kidnapping, among others.”
Criminal organization
The Tren de Aragua criminal organization was formed in 2014 in a prison in the Venezuelan state of Aragua and spread to eight South American countries, including Colombia, Peru and Chile, according to intelligence reports.
This criminal network is accused of human trafficking, murder, kidnapping, robbery, drugs and extortion.
Interpol is still on the trail of Hector Guerrero, known by the alias “Niño Guerrero”, who is believed to be another of the gang’s founders.
Last week, Colombian authorities arrested another leader of the gang known as Salomón in the municipality of Aguazul (center-east).
Source: With information from AFP
