San Antonio Bust Targets Tren de Aragua Smuggling Ring

Five individuals were arrested in San Antonio after a joint operation by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and Laredo Sector Border Patrol targeting a human smuggling ring linked to the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang. The suspects include Jose Francisco Barriento Vega of Mexico (24), Mary Lou Tula, a U.S. citizen (49), and Alexis Segundo Olivo Fernandez of Venezuela (44), who is suspected of gang membership; all three face human smuggling and organized crime charges. Brandon Suarez and Bryan Suarez, both U.S. citizens, were arrested for drug possession at the scene. Authorities report the operation smuggled up to 15 people weekly into the U.S., bypassing Border Patrol checkpoints, and involved significant cash seizures and links to other criminal organizations. The ongoing investigation could lead to additional arrests, including another suspected Tren de Aragua member. Officials express growing concern about the gang's expanding role in Texas's human trafficking and violent crime.