Three alleged members of the Venezuelan criminal syndicate Tren de Aragua have been detained in Trinidad and Tobago under detention orders issued as part of the ongoing state of emergency.

The orders were signed by Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander on March 11 and published in the official gazette on March 19.

The detainees have been identified as Jose Gregorio Perez Salazar, Henry Jesus Cedeno Villaba and Nestor Jose Bompart Martinez, all of Guiria, Venezuela.

According to the orders, their detention was necessary to prevent them “from acting in a manner prejudicial to public safety.”

Authorities allege the men were involved in kidnapping, extortion and the trafficking of firearms and narcotics using maritime routes between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela. 

The order further stated that they conspired with others to escalate their criminal activities by targeting nationals and other persons within Trinidad and Tobago.

Officials said the detentions are intended to disrupt the group’s operations and prevent further acts that pose a “clear and present threat” to public safety.

The three are among more than 373 individuals detained since the state of emergency was declared on March 3.

Tren de Aragua, which originated in Venezuelan prisons in 2014, has expanded across several countries in Latin America and beyond and is considered a major transnational criminal network.

In July 2025, Trinidad and Tobago’s High Court approved the designation of the group as a terrorist organisation, making any support, financial dealings or association with it illegal and requiring authorities to freeze assets linked to the gang .

Authorities have warned that the group poses a serious threat to public safety due to its involvement in violent crime and organised criminal activity across the region.