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An alleged violent Venezuelan gang leader who authorities say has deep ties to drug trafficking and terrorism has been added to the FBI’s notorious Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list and was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano is a senior figure in the brutal Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang, according to the FBI Houston. He’s the first known member of the transnational gang to make the list.
The charges against Mosquera Serrano include conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, along with coordinating the trafficking of cocaine from Colombia into the United States.
Mosquera Serrano, 37, is the 536th person added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list since it began in 1950. He allegedly continues to lead operations for Tren de Aragua, a gang that federal officials now label a foreign terrorist group.
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“Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano’s leadership fuels an organization that thrives on brutal murders, forced prostitution, kidnappings and the destruction of lives across continents,” said Douglas Williams, special agent in charge of FBI Houston. “No border will shield him from justice. With the public’s help, we will eradicate TdA and end their transnational campaign of terror and crime.”
Tren de Aragua began inside Venezuelan prisons and has rapidly grown into one of the most violent and far-reaching gangs in the Americas. Authorities say its members have already infiltrated Latin America and the U.S., committing organized crimes that include drug and weapons trafficking, extortion and human smuggling.
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The U.S. Treasury also sanctioned Mosquera Serrano in relation to his alleged TdA activity.
“TdA remains focused on terrorizing our communities and facilitating the flow of illicit narcotics into our country, relying on key leaders like Mosquera Serrano to finance and oversee their violent operations,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “Treasury, in close coordination with our partners in U.S. law enforcement, will continue to use all available tools to disrupt the group’s criminal enterprise and Make America Safe Again.”
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Mosquera Serrano in the United States District Court Southern District of Texas.
This multinational law enforcement effort involves a wide coalition of agencies. In addition to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, officials from the DEA, Homeland Security, the ATF, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Houston Police Department and the Colombian National Police are involved in the manhunt. The FBI’s legal attaché in Bogotá is also supporting the case.
The State Department is offering up to $3 million for information leading to Mosquera Serrano’s arrest or conviction. The FBI is urging the public to offer information related to this case. Tips can be submitted at tips.fbi.gov, through local FBI offices, U.S. embassies or consulates or anonymously through WhatsApp and Telegram at 281-787-9939.
Mosquera Serrano joins two other fugitives on the FBI’s Top Ten connected to international criminal organizations, Wilver Villegas-Palomino, an alleged member of Colombia’s ELN, and Yulan Adonay Archaga Carias, the alleged MS-13 leader in Honduras.
The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list has proven to be one of the FBI’s most effective tools, with 497 of 536 fugitives being located or captured. More than 160 arrests have been made possible thanks to public tips, according to the bureau.
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