In a significant victory against organised crime in Latin America, Colombian police have apprehended Larry Álvarez, one of the founding members of the notorious Tren de Aragua gang. This transnational criminal organisation, said to have originated in a Venezuelan prison, has been spreading terror across the region with its involvement in a multitude of illegal activities.

Larry Álvarez, also known as Larry Changa, was captured near Circasia, central Colombia, as disclosed by the country's defence ministry on July 1. The Colombian national police released a statement and video footage showing the gang leader, shirtless and handcuffed, being arrested outside a modest residence. Police reports indicate that Álvarez attempted to evade arrest as agents closed in on him.

Álvarez, 45, is wanted in both Chile and Venezuela on a litany of charges, including terrorism, financing terrorism, weapons trafficking, extortion, and kidnapping. Colombian police described him as one of the three original founders of the Tren de Aragua, which began nearly two decades ago within the Tocoron prison in Venezuela’s Aragua state. Since then, the gang has extended its tentacles into other South American nations, where it has been accused of operating extortion rackets and human trafficking networks that prey on Venezuelan migrants.

Colombian authorities have also implicated the Tren de Aragua in drug trafficking activities, with the gang allegedly coordinating shipments of narcotics from Colombia. The arrest of Álvarez, who escaped from Tocoron prison in 2015, marks a crucial step in disrupting the gang’s operations. Álvarez fled to Chile in 2018 but was forced to relocate to Colombia in 2022, using a false identity to avoid detection by Chilean law enforcement.

The Tren de Aragua operates much like a cartel, engaging in various forms of organised crime and instilling fear across the region. The gang's influence has expanded significantly, causing havoc in countries like Chile, Perú and Venezuela. Chilean prosecutors recently linked the gang to the kidnapping and murder of a former Venezuelan army official seeking asylum in Chile. Additionally, the gang was blamed for the killing of a Chilean police officer, prompting President Gabriel Boric to accuse the Venezuelan government of insufficiently investigating the gang's leadership—a claim Venezuelan authorities have denied.

Álvarez currently remains in custody in Colombia, where officials will decide whether to extradite him to Venezuela or Chile. His arrest underscores the pervasive threat posed by the Tren de Aragua, highlighting the gang’s extensive criminal network and its impact on regional security.