TBI warns Venezuelan gang operating in Tennessee
Governor Bill Lee tells FOX 17 News he will review the budget requests from the TBI. Congressman Andy Ogles says this is an issue he's been looking at very closely. Congressman Ogles states, "Every small town in America is a border town because of the immigration crisis." (Photo: WZTV)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — In Operation Crime and Justice, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is sounding the alarm about a Venezuelan gang they say is operating in major cities across Tennessee.
The TBI director warned the Venezuelan gang is in full force and on a path to increased violence, and they’re now asking the governor for funding to address it.
The TBI said that not only is this dangerous gang growing nationwide, but it is also impacting every major city across Tennessee.
“We know they are on a pathway to more violence," TBI director, David Rausch said.
Rausch warned Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in a budget hearing Tuesday about the rising threat of "Tren de Aragua," a violent criminal group.
“They are back in all our major cities. They are running human trafficking operations," he added.
Rausch says the Venezuelan gang does not hesitate to attack their opponents in public.
He adds, "Recently there was a video that they showed, where they shot a cartel member 31 times, broad daylight on video and posted it to social media.” Rausch says next they’ll engage in more retail theft, before taking on the drug trade.
Gov. Lee told WZTV he would review the budget requests from the TBI. Congressman Andy Ogles said this is an issue he's been looking at very closely.
"Every small town in America is a border town because of the immigration crisis," Ogles stated.
Ogles added he’s also been in contact with President-elect Donald Trump about the issue.
“We will begin deporting individuals who are here. You've got to prioritize those who are here with violent intent," he said.
Rausch said the same gang was first identified in the state years ago in a human trafficking bust, where they had abducted women from Venezuela and brought them to Tennessee but many of the members fled after the operation. He said there's been no sight of them since until recently.
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