Top Tren de Aragua Drug Trafficker Arrested by Colombian Police

Colombian authorities announced the arrest of one of the most important logistical leaders of the international criminal gang Tren de Aragua. The detained Jorge Luis Páez Cordero, using the alias "Cucaracho," was responsible within the gang for managing the main drug trafficking routes. According to a statement by the head of the Colombian police, General William Oswaldo Rincón Zambrano, Páez Cordero coordinated operations through which multi-ton shipments of cocaine reached the United States, European countries, and Central America from Colombia and Venezuela. His arrest was based on an international arrest warrant issued by Interpol. The Tren de Aragua gang emerged in the early 2000s in Venezuela's Aragua state, initially as a group extorting money from railway workers. Amid Venezuela's economic and political crisis, it transformed into one of the most powerful and brutal criminal syndicates in the region, expanding its operations beyond the country's borders. Páez Cordero's role in the organization's structure was crucial. He not only oversaw the logistics of drug trafficking but also, according to charges, was responsible for organizing other serious crimes, including crimes against personal liberty and extortion in the Caribbean region. He was considered the right-hand man of the group's top leader. „La captura de Jorge Luis Páez Cordero es un golpe a la estructura logística de esta organización criminal. Era una figura clave en el tráfico internacional de drogas.” (The capture of Jorge Luis Páez Cordero is a blow to the logistical structure of this criminal organization. He was a key figure in international drug trafficking.) — General William Oswaldo Rincón Zambrano Authorities emphasize that his arrest is the result of intensive, coordinated operational work by the Colombian police and international cooperation, including with agencies from other countries affected by the gang's activities. The activities of Tren de Aragua are not limited to drug trafficking alone. The organization is accused of a wide catalog of crimes, including extortion of protection money (protection rackets), kidnappings for ransom, money laundering, and organizing illegal migration. Its influence extends far beyond Venezuela, encompassing Colombia, Peru, Chile, Ecuador, and Central American countries, even reaching the United States. Combating this gang has become a priority for many security services in the region.Interpol Red Notice — issued for Páez Cordero This underscores the scale of the threat he posed to international order. The red notice, an international request to locate and arrest, is used in cases of individuals wanted for the most serious crimes. His arrest could potentially disrupt the drug supply chains controlled by the syndicate, although experts note the high resilience of such structures to the arrest of individual leaders. prawda: The arrest of Jorge Luis Páez Cordero based on an Interpol red notice has been confirmed. His role as a key drug trafficker within Tren de Aragua is reported by authorities. (Colombian police statement, Interpol information)