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Colombia police arrest senior Tren de Aragua criminal group drug trafficker

Feb 26, 2026

Rio de Janeiro [Brazil], February 26: Colombian police have arrested a senior figure in the transnational criminal group Tren de Aragua, detaining Jorge Luis Paez Cordero, known as "Cucaracho," in the city of Santa Marta, authorities said on Tuesday.
Police said Cordero was a close associate of the network's leader, "Niño Guerrero," and coordinated the shipment of tons of cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela to Central America, the United States and Europe. He was also wanted under a Red Notice from Interpol and is accused of organizing extortion, kidnapping and money laundering operations in the Caribbean region. A video released by investigators shows a special unit entering Cordero's luxury home in Santa Marta, northern Colombia, and catching him asleep in his bedroom. Police also seized four mobile phones and a tablet, which are now being examined. Tren de Aragua, which originates in Venezuela, is regarded as one of the most influential criminal networks in the region. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune