Neighbor says after arrests of Tren de Aragua gang members

SAN ANTONIO – Andy Martinez says he was lying in bed at the Palatia Apartments on Sahara Street as police cleared out nearly 300 vacant units Saturday morning.

“I'm sleeping and they're banging and banging – and I mean loudly,” Martinez said.

Martinez remembers seeing several law enforcement agencies. The multi-agency operation came after multiple complaints of human trafficking and drug violations.

The operation ended with the arrest of 19 people and the detention of 15 of them by Homeland Security Investigations officers.

“This is an ongoing investigation,” said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus. “Even though we’re done here at the complex, we’re not done yet. This investigation has been in the works for weeks.”

SAPD confirmed that four of those arrested are members of the Venezuelan gang “Tren de Aragua,” also known as TDA.

According to authorities, TDA is a transnational gang involved in people smuggling, kidnapping, extortion and drug trafficking.

The gang has spread throughout the United States, including New York, Colorado and Texas.

Martinez said he lived above some of the people who were arrested for months.

“There are a lot of Venezuelans who sell drugs and a lot of other things and they don’t care,” Martinez said.

Just days before these arrests, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar also spoke about the gang's presence.

“We are aware that Tren de Aragua, similar to the Mexican drug cartels, all operate here in Bexar County,” Salazar said. “That's one of the main reasons we set up organized crime groups a few years ago, even though we knew these things were happening. Relatively recently, we actually split off a team from this organized crime group to focus exclusively on transnational criminal organizations because of organizations like Tren de Aragua.”

McManus said there is no danger to the public, but the department's work is not yet done.

“We’re targeting you, and we’re looking for you,” McManus said. “We know where you are, and we’re coming for you.”

KSAT visited the Palatia Apartment Homes office on Saturday. The office is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, a sign on the door said the office was closed until Monday, October 7, due to an emergency.