US sanctions an alleged leader of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua
The US Treasury Department said on Tuesday it has sanctioned Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, an alleged leader of Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua, who is already on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's most-wanted list.
Mosquera has been indicted by the US Department of Justice with drug trafficking and terrorism-related criminal activity, the statement from the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said, while the State Department is offering up to $3 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction.
US President Donald Trump has claimed Tren de Aragua is coordinating its US activities with the Venezuelan government of President Nicolas Maduro, and used the supposed connection to justify deportations of alleged members to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador.
At least one top US official has acknowledged Maduro's government may not specifically direct the gang.
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