US sanctions growing Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua

FILE PHOTO: A swimming pool is pictured in the Aragua jail as Venezuela's government announced it has completed the first phase of its plan to take back control of its prison system, in Tocoron, Venezuela September 23, 2023. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday placed sanctions on Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that began in a prison and has spread throughout Latin America.

The group was designated as a transnational criminal organization for activities including human smuggling, gender-based violence, money laundering and drug trafficking, the Treasury Department said.