NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — In Operation Crime and Justice, more questions arose after WZTV reported that a the well-known Venezuelan gang invades the cities of Tennessee.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) used a state budget hearing this week to issue a warning about the brutal gang. From human trafficking to retail crime and drug dealing, TBI believes TDA will soon be part of it all.

Starting in a prison in Venezuela, TBI says Tren de Aragua now operates in major U.S. cities, including Tennessee.

Carter Smith of MTSU’s Department of Criminal Justice says the bigger the gang, the greater its influence, comparing TDA to MS-13.

“They will continue to escalate the violence; they’ll figure out what they’re really, really good at,” he added.

On Thursday, WZTV asked the TBI a series of questions, including TDA arrest numbers statewide, as well as a list of Tennessee cities where the gang has been seen the most. However, they did not answer those questions. Instead, a TBI spokesperson sent a lengthy statement:

“Like many law enforcement agencies across the country, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has raised concerns about the potential for crimes related to the Tren de Aragua (TdA), a prominent and violent Venezuelan transnational gang.

For context, the earliest crime in Tennessee that the TBI has identified as being related to TdA dates back to a human trafficking case in 2023. At this time, information suggests that the gang is predominantly involved in promoting human trafficking in Tennessee, but the gang’s known history of involvement in theft and drug crimes elsewhere continues to inform our concerted efforts to better understand and more consistently identify crimes in Tennessee that may be connected to TdA.

In recent years, images of tattoos have been widely shared to identify gang members. However, current information suggests that the gang may be less dependent on tattoos, so identifying those affiliated with TdA may be difficult. Instead, TBI would remind the general public of the warning signs of human trafficking itself, which can be found at www.ITHasToStop.com.”

“Generally, these other gangs will come in, work with lower-level street gangs and work in drug trafficking, which is what we anticipate will happen with TDA,” Matthew Daly said.

With strong experience around the globe, we caught up with the former Border Patrol agent and current Assistant Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Matthew Daly said there aren’t any current cases involving TDA, but overall he’s seen more involvement in the drug trade in Nashville.

“Our role, from the DEA’s perspective, is to destroy an entire organization from start to finish,” he said.

According to the TBI, TDA is harder to identify because the criminal group relies less on tattoos, instead urging the public to watch for the warning signs of human trafficking. The DEA said warning signs for drug trafficking can include constant foot or vehicle traffic or different license plates.

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