US EditionAlleged Tren De Aragua Leader Arrested in L.A. over Kidnapping, Killing of Ex-Lieutenant
- Rafael Enrique Gamez Salas, 40, is believed to lead Los Piratas, a Chilean cell of the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua, and was arrested in Los Angeles, facing extradition to Chile on seven felony charges including kidnapping and murder.
- Salas is accused of orchestrating the February 2024 kidnapping and murder of a Venezuelan military Lieutenant in Santiago, involving impersonation of police officers and burial of the victim under concrete.
- He has a prior U.S. conviction for human smuggling and illegal reentry after deportation and was serving a federal sentence when arrested on an extradition warrant.
- U.S. officials emphasized close cooperation with Chile to combat transnational crime and labeled Salas a serious public safety threat due to his illegal reentry under the Biden administration.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Tren De Aragua Mastermind Behind Concrete-Buried Murder Captured In California - Tampa Free Press
Federal authorities in California have arrested 40-year-old Rafael Enrique Gamez Salas, a Venezuelan national identified by investigators as a high-ranking leader within the “Los Piratas” cell of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) transnational criminal organization. The arrest, executed Wednesday by the U.S. Marshals Service, comes at the formal request of the Chilean government, which seeks […] Tren de Aragua Mastermind Behind Concrete-Buried Murder Cap…
Foreign Minister Rodrigo Pérez Mackenna reported this Friday that the government will take steps to expedite the extradition of Gámez Salas, known as “the Turko”, the leader of Los Piratas, Aragua Train cell in Chile, accused of directing the kidnapping and murder of former Venezuelan Lieutenant Ronald Ojeda in February 2024. “Today we were informed of the arrest in the United States of Rafael Gámez Salas, a dangerous criminal of the Aragua Trai…
Alleged Tren de Aragua leader arrested in L.A. over kidnapping, killing of ex-lieutenant
A Venezuelan national accused of helping lead a faction of the transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua has been arrested in Los Angeles as Chile seeks to extradite him to face charges tied to a kidnapping and killing, federal authorities announced Friday. Rafael Enrique Gámez Salas, 40, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals [...]
Rafael Gámez Salas, known as "El Turko" and the alleged leader of a cell of the transnational criminal group Tren de Aragua, was arrested in the United States. He is being investigated for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murder of former Venezuelan military officer Ronald Ojeda, which occurred in Chile in February 2024. The detainee is linked to the organization known as Piratas de Aragua, which operates in Chile and is considered …
The U.S. authorities arrested Rafael Enrique Gámez Salas, aka “El Turko” in California, who was designated as the alleged leader of a cell of the criminal group Tren de Aragua operating in Chile. The arrest occurred following an extradition request submitted by the Chilean government, as part of an investigation into several serious crimes. Gámez Salas, 40, is investigated by the Chilean justice system as one of those responsible for leading the…
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