Tren de Aragua Boss BUSTED in LA

A person in an orange jumpsuit with handcuffs

A top Tren de Aragua gang leader, wanted for orchestrating kidnappings and a brutal murder in Chile, was finally nabbed in Los Angeles after hiding out while serving time for smuggling humans into America.

Story Highlights

U.S. Marshals arrested Rafael Enrique Gámez Salas, alias “El Turko,” in LA on Chile’s extradition request for leading the violent “Los Piratas” TdA cell.
Gámez Salas faces seven charges, including a kidnapping that ended in the torture and death of Venezuelan dissident Ronald Ojeda Moreno in 2024.
Under President Trump, this arrest signals America will no longer shelter foreign gang fugitives who illegally crossed our borders.
TdA, born in Venezuela’s prisons, fuels extortion, trafficking, and killings across South America and threatens U.S. communities via migrant flows.
U.S.-Chile cooperation disrupts these criminals, protecting families from the violence Biden-era policies ignored.

Arrest Details and Timeline

U.S. Marshals Service arrested Rafael Enrique Gámez Salas, a 40-year-old Venezuelan, from a federal prison in San Bernardino County last Wednesday. Chile requested his capture for directing “Los Piratas,” Tren de Aragua’s main cell there. Gámez Salas faced initial court appearance before Magistrate Judge Charles F. Eick in Los Angeles and remains in federal custody pending extradition. He had just pleaded guilty in April 2025 to illegal reentry and human smuggling in California’s Central District.

Alleged Tren de Aragua leader 'El Turko' arrested in LA on murder and kidnapping charges https://t.co/MZ1DMfJ3MF pic.twitter.com/uCV309kvbC

— New York Post (@nypost) March 14, 2026

Tren de Aragua’s Violent Rise in Chile

Tren de Aragua started as a prison gang in Venezuela’s Tocorón facility around 2014, growing into a transnational syndicate running extortion, human trafficking, drugs, and murders. In Chile, Gámez Salas led Los Piratas through horrors like the February 2024 kidnapping of Ronald Ojeda Moreno. Thugs posing as police tortured the ex-Venezuelan officer, killed him by hanging asphyxia, and partially dismembered his body. Intercepted calls link orders from TdA bosses like “Niño Guerrero” straight to Gámez Salas.

Los Piratas escalated with a March 2024 attempted kidnapping, an April 2024 shootout killing a Chilean cop, and more extortion grabs in February and June 2024. Gámez Salas fled justice by sneaking into the U.S., but Chilean prosecutors built a case with solid evidence for seven charges including criminal association and kidnapping resulting in death.

U.S. Officials Champion Justice Over Sanctuary

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche called TdA a clear public safety threat, noting Gámez Salas reentered illegally under Biden’s failed watch. Assistant AG A. Tysen Duva stressed America offers no safe haven for such fugitives, praising tight U.S.-Chile teamwork. This marks the first U.S. arrest of a TdA leader for Chilean extradition, despite TdA’s informal “foreign terrorist” label and no official U.S. designation yet.

Chilean authorities from Ministerio Público seek to dismantle TdA operations ravaging their streets. Gámez Salas transferred extortion cash abroad, evading capture until now. A U.S. removal order to Venezuela complicates matters since they don’t extradite, but Chile takes priority. FBI eyes potential U.S. trafficking charges too.

Alleged Tren de Aragua leader 'El Turko' arrested in LA on murder and kidnapping charges https://t.co/rQqif6g6Jw pic.twitter.com/eiINSjHRaV

— California Post (@californiapost) March 14, 2026

Victory for Border Security and Families

This bust disrupts Los Piratas short-term and weakens TdA’s network long-term, setting a precedent against gang expansion. Chilean businesses escape extortion drains, migrant areas gain safety, and Venezuelan dissidents face less targeted hits. U.S. communities benefit as TdA’s smuggling ties get hammered. President Trump’s enforcement turns the tide against the open-border chaos that let thugs like El Turko roam free.

Conservatives cheer this as proof strong leadership prioritizes American safety over globalist handouts. No more catch-and-release for murderers hiding in our prisons. Families can breathe easier knowing justice crosses borders when it must.