Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is offering up as much as $5,000 for information that leads to the capture of members of the notorious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua that has reigned terror across parts of the United States.
The GOP leader unveiled the bounty on Monday while making it clear Texas authorities would not cede ground to the dangerous gang that has exploded into a crime syndicate by sneaking into the country along with millions of other border-crossers in recent years.
“Tren de Aragua has spread terror and carnage in every country they’ve been in, and Texas will not allow them to gain a foothold in our state,” Abbott said in a statement.
“Today, I am announcing a reward for any information that leads to the identification and arrest of known or suspected members of this gang who have been or are involved in heinous crimes.
“Texas will not let these thugs use our state as a base of operations to terrorize our citizens.”
Tren de Aragua is reportedly peddling guns, drugs and women across all 50 states, including in the Big Apple, Chicago, and other less bustling parts of the country.
One federal official called the gang “MS-13 on steroids” – a reference to the bloodthirsty South American street gang that has terrorized Long Island in recent years, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report.
Abbott’s announcement on Monday comes after he designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization as part of a statewide operation to crack down on the gang and its criminal operations.
He said anyone with information on the gangbangers should either call the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline or submit a tip online. Because the tips are anonymous, callers will get a tip number.
The governor’s office stressed residents should not attempt to capture suspected gang members on their own.
“With the public’s help, combined with the hard work of federal, state, and local law enforcement, we will capture these dangerous gang members and put them behind bars for good,” Abbott said Monday.