McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday said Texas troopers arrested four members of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang after they crossed into South Texas from Mexico.

Abbott says Texas Department of Public Safety troopers on Dec. 31 encountered the four members of the Venezuelan-based trans criminal organization in Val Verde County, outside Del Rio, Texas.

They were part of a group of 22 undocumented migrants that DPS encountered who were from Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela.

Eleven of the 22 encountered were arrested and charged with criminal trespass. Family groups were referred to U.S. Border Patrol for processing.

Nine of the 11 were from Venezuela and during interviews, and based on tattoos they had, law enforcement suspected four men were part of Tren de Aragua. Abbott said searches of their cellphones verified their gang affiliation through social media apps.

“Our top priority is the safety and security of Texans, including against the growing threat of Tren de Aragua,” Abbott said in a statement. “I designated TdA (Tren de Aragua) as a foreign terrorist organization, and we will not tolerate this gang operating or gaining a foothold in Texas.”

The four suspected Tren de Aragua members arrested on New Year’s Eve include: Segundo Ocando-Mejia, 39; Pedro Luis Salazar-Cuervo, 27; Antonio Joe Urruttia-Rojas, 18; and Levi Jesus Urrutia-Blanco, 18, Abbott says. (DPS Courtesy Photo)

Tattoos on Ocando-Mejia’s shoulders could indicate he is a leader in the gang, Abbott said.

Abbott called the gang members “vicious” and said “until President Trump is back in the White House to secure our border, Texas will continue to hunt down dangerous criminals like TdA and put them behind bars to protect Texans from this vicious gang.”

Abbott issued a statewide proclamation in September declaring Tren de Aragua to be a foreign terrorist organization that states “any persons harboring or facilitating its criminal activities in Texas, (subject) to the heightened penalties.”

Abbott also has offered rewards of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification and arrest of Tren de Aragua members.

“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 has said.

To be eligible for the cash rewards, tipsters must provide information to authorities using one of the following methods:

• Call the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477)
• Submit a tip online through the Texas Department of Public Safety. Tips can be submitted anonymously.

Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.