Spanish Police Arrest 13 Tren de Aragua Gang Members in Nationwide Crackdown

Spain's Major Gang Arrests

Spanish authorities arrested 13 suspected members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua in coordinated raids across five cities—Barcelona, Madrid, Girona, A Coruña/A Coruna, and Valencia.

Multiple outlets characterize this as Spain’s first major operation against the group.

Evrim Ağacı reports the actions were conducted between November 6 and 7, 2025 and describes this as the first major crackdown on the group in Spain.

Arab News frames it as Spain's first operation targeting this notorious prison gang.

Colombia One says police recently dismantled a cell across multiple cities, underscoring the nationwide scope and the 13 arrests.

Collectively, the coverage presents a synchronized, multi-city sweep that authorities and media portray as a significant first strike against the gang’s European footprint.

Drug Trafficking and Arrests

Police seized cash, falsified documents, and illegal drugs, dismantling two drug labs.

These labs were described as producing “pink cocaine” by Evrim Ağacı and “tusi” by Arab News.

Colombia One noted the group’s role in making synthetic drugs like “tusi.”

The investigation was triggered by the arrest in Barcelona of the brother of the gang’s leader, “Niño Guerrero,” under a Venezuelan international warrant.

Evrim Ağacı reported that most of those detained were Venezuelan.

The Spanish cell handled logistics, recruitment—especially of women for sexual exploitation—and moving illicit profits back to Venezuela.

Colombia One added that some of the 13 detainees were already wanted by Venezuelan authorities, highlighting the cross-border nature of the case.

Tren de Aragua Criminal Network

All three sources trace Tren de Aragua’s origins to a Venezuelan prison and agree on its expansion beyond Venezuela.

Evrim Ağacı describes it as a violent transnational criminal network involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and sexual exploitation.

Arab News emphasizes the gang's growth over a decade amid economic crisis and mass migration.

Colombia One highlights the gang’s decentralized structure, consisting of autonomous cells that share the name and methods.

This decentralized nature makes the network hard to dismantle and positions Spain as a strategic beachhead for Europe.

International Group Designations

Arab News reports a strong US dimension regarding the group.

It says the group was designated a foreign terrorist organization in February.

The US has conducted military strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels linked to the gang.

Arab News quotes President Trump as calling it an armed conflict with cartels.

Colombia One similarly states the group is designated as a terrorist organization in the US, but without dates or military details.

Evrim Ağacı does not mention any US designation or military actions.

These claims highlight a harsher international security framing by Arab News and Colombia One compared to Evrim Ağacı’s focus on Spain-based operations and criminal logistics.

Tren de Aragua Disruption

The arrests are portrayed as a pivotal disruption.

Arab News calls them a significant step in disrupting the gang's European operations.

Colombia One says Spain is being used as a strategic base to extend its influence into Europe.

Evrim Ağacı stresses the Spanish cell’s role in logistics and recruitment for sexual exploitation, alongside the seizure of drugs and the dismantling of labs.

Across the sources, Tren de Aragua is characterized with severe terms—from a violent transnational criminal network to a notorious prison gang to one of Latin America’s most concerning criminal organizations.

These descriptions highlight both the gravity of the threat and the challenges posed by its decentralized, adaptive structure.