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A crew of migrant gangbangers taken down by the NYPD was so brazen about their illegal gun profits that they posted a sick photo of a baby on a pile of their ill-gotten cash. 

In all, 10 high-ranking members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua — including the baby’s heartless mom — are out of commission or on the run thanks to a nationwide sweep.

The NYPD seized a cache of more than 30 illegal guns, including AR-15 assault rifles and a Glock 9mm with a trigger modification making it an automatic, in the Tuesday night raids.

“Tren de Aragua is one of the most dangerous gangs in the country, and the NYPD has taken significant action to shut down their operations in New York City,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Wednesday. 


  Reputed gang member Eduardo Garcia allegedly got into a scuffle with cops when he was arrested. Paul Martinka Reputed gang member Eduardo Garcia allegedly got into a scuffle with cops when he was arrested. Paul Martinka

  An infant is removed from an apartment in the Bronx during an operation to bust a Tren de Aragua gun trafficking gang Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. Peter Gerber An infant is removed from an apartment in the Bronx during an operation to bust a Tren de Aragua gun trafficking gang Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025. Peter Gerber

“Today’s indictment makes clear that we will not let them terrorize our streets with illegal guns, assault weapons and dangerous narcotics that threaten all our communities.” 

Four of the illegal goons were rounded up in the Bronx, while four others are in custody in Florida and Texas and two others are in the wind, authorities said. 

The NYPD joint operation with the Queens DA’s Office — dubbed “Operation Train Derailment” — came on the heels of an unrelated federal sweep that took down 25-year-old Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, a leader of the gang sought on a warrant out of Colorado.

“The geographic scope of their alleged conduct extended on a national level to include Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida, Colorado and, internationally, to Colombia,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement. 

“As a result of our investigation 34 dangerous weapons are now off the streets, and we are dismantling this gang as it attempts to establish itself locally,” Katz said. 

The vicious Venezuelan street gang established a foothold in the five boroughs after sneaking into the US amid a flood of migrants from the border with Mexico.

New York’s Finest has already taken more than 60 TdA guns off the streets after facing a challenge of investigating the crews “ghost criminals” — suspects who have avoided traditional law enforcement detection by using phony names, officials said.

Among the gang members called by NYPD brass “some of the worst of the worst” was Eduardo Garcia, who got into a scuffle with cops in the lobby of his Morris Heights apartment building in the Bronx.

Garcia, 27, whose real name is Wrallan Meza Cabezas, was hit with charges of criminal sale and possession of illegal guns.

His girlfriend, Rosemary Sanchez, the mother of the infant photographed on a pile of cash, was arrested inside the couple’s apartment, police said.


  The NYPD said its gun bust sweep took more than 30 weapons off the streets, including AR-15s and modified Glock 9mms. Paul Martinka The NYPD said its gun bust sweep took more than 30 weapons off the streets, including AR-15s and modified Glock 9mms. Paul Martinka

  Officials said the NYPD has already taken more than 60 TdA guns off the streets. Paul Martinka Officials said the NYPD has already taken more than 60 TdA guns off the streets. Paul Martinka

Queens prosecutor Andres Sanchez said in court that Rosemary Sanchez was indicted on 26 counts of gun-related felonies. 

“She became a target when she first negotiated the sale of [the drug] Tusi and also firearms,” the prosecutor said. “She is documented in this case participating in the receipts of the proceeds from firearms transactions that occurred outside of her apartment.”

Brayant Aguilar, 21, who has prior busts on robbery and gun possession, was picked up at 242nd Street and White Plains Road in the Bronx as part of the sweep.

Finally, TdA member Alejandro Moises Rondon Serano, 19, who has prior robbery and gun arrests, was taken into custody at a local hospital, where he was being treated for an unrelated injury. 


  NYPD officials said “Operation Train Derailment” targeted illegal guns stashed by migrant Tren de Aragua members. Paul Martinka NYPD officials said “Operation Train Derailment” targeted illegal guns stashed by migrant Tren de Aragua members. Paul Martinka

“I heard banging and shouting,” one tenant of the Bronx building said of the police raid. “I peeped through the window and saw a lot of police. I realized it has to be something serious.

“It was a scary scene,” she said. “You never know who is living in your building.”

The gang members rounded up by the NYPD were arraigned in court in Queens, where the operation originated, on Wednesday, with a press conference scheduled for later in the day.

Prosecutors said the others named on the indictment were: 

  • Enyerbert Blanco, 24, of the Bronx;
  • Enyerling Zambrano, 29, of Brooklyn,
  • Oscar Sosa, 31, of Monroe, New York, and
  • Leonor Aguilera, 21, of Houston, Texas. 

“We’ve had long-term investigations in the past,” NYPD Capt. Jeff Heilig told The Post.


  The girlfriend of a notorious Tren de Aragua gangbanger was among four suspects busted by the NYPD in the Big Apple. Paul Martinka The girlfriend of a notorious Tren de Aragua gangbanger was among four suspects busted by the NYPD in the Big Apple. Paul Martinka

“The message gets sent around the country. It resonates,” he said. “We had the message come back to us on the street that criminals hear what happens in New York City and the arrests involved, and they’re afraid to do business in New York City.

“I think this takedown, this investigation, signifies the beginning of the end of TdA.”


  Rosemary Sanchez was arrested inside the apartment. Brigitte Stelzer Rosemary Sanchez was arrested inside the apartment. Brigitte Stelzer

Law enforcement sources said the gang recruited aggressively from within tax-funded city shelters for asylum seekers, including out of a massive tent city erected at Manhattan’s Randall’s Island to handle the influx of migrants.

According to sources, private guards at the facilities, who are barred from working hand in hand with the NYPD, have allowed guns and drugs to filter into the shelters because food deliveries in which the items are stashed are not searched or put through metal detectors before being allowed in.


  The NYPD’s “Operation Train Derailment” targeted 10 Tren de Aragua members in New York and elsewhere. Paul Martinka The NYPD’s “Operation Train Derailment” targeted 10 Tren de Aragua members in New York and elsewhere. Paul Martinka

The gang itself is named after the Venezuelan state of Aragua, where the gang grew out of a local labor union and formed into a crew of inmates who took control of a local prison and slowly expanded to neighboring Colombia and Chile starting around 2018.

Once the US border opened to a flood of asylum seekers, they branched out across the country — including in the Big Apple, where migrant gangbangers, many working out of Bronx apartment buildings, peddled drugs, guns and women as part of a sordid human trafficking operation.

TdA gang members also sport trademark tattoos that bizarrely include images of bulls and the number 23 once worn by Chicago Bulls basketball legend Michael Jordan — perhaps in homage to the gang’s early grip on the Windy City.

However, law enforcement agencies, including the NYPD, set their sights on the gang pretty quickly.


  Suspect Wrallan Meza Cubezas, a Tren de Araugua member, was arraigned on gun trafficking charges in Queens, NY. Brigitte Stelzer Suspect Wrallan Meza Cubezas, a Tren de Araugua member, was arraigned on gun trafficking charges in Queens, NY. Brigitte Stelzer

  Cubezas, who was arrested during Operation Train Derailment, cried in court during arraignment. Brigitte Stelzer Cubezas, who was arrested during Operation Train Derailment, cried in court during arraignment. Brigitte Stelzer

One pint-size offshoot of the gang, calling itself Diablos de 42, or Devils of 42nd Street, wreaked havoc in Times Square, with marauding mobs of underage migrants pulling off strong-arm robberies targeting tourists and defenseless New Yorkers alike.

Following a series of reports about the young thugs by The Post, the NYPD targeted the group and essentially put them out of commission, sources said.

One 15-year-old Venezuelan punk became the poster child for the gang, which benefited from the Empire State’s soft juvenile justice laws to remain free despite a string of violent crimes in Midtown — until prosecutors had enough and had the teen locked up.


  Queens District Attorney speaks about the arrests as NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, left, looks on. Brigitte Stelzer Queens District Attorney speaks about the arrests as NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, left, looks on. Brigitte Stelzer

Cops then set their sights on the big guns — the TdA hoods who set up a criminal enterprise in the five boroughs. 

“The vast majority of our newest arrivals come here to New York with the absolute best intentions in mind, the same intentions that all our family members did,” said Savino. “They come here to essentially look for a life to better themselves and their families. They come here for all the right intentions.

“With that being said, we do have a core group, a small core group of individuals that come here with ill intentions,” the chief added. “They come here almost exclusively to commit and engage in criminality, and it’s no different than any other criminals we deal with.”

Additional reporting by Georgett Robertsand Jennie Taer

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