Mexico City, January 17 – Omar García Harfuch, head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC), confirmed yesterday, January 16, 2026, that there are links between the criminal group ‘Tren de Aragua’, a criminal organization originating from Venezuela, and ‘Unión Tepito’, as well as other criminal groups in Mexico City (CDMX).
García Harfuch Details Alliances with Local Groups
During a press conference yesterday morning, January 16, 2026, Secretary García Harfuch indicated that ‘Tren de Aragua’ has ties with local groups, primarily in the Cuauhtémoc borough, such as ‘Unión Tepito’.
“Mainly (alliances) with local groups in Mexico City, they have links with local groups in Cuauhtémoc, Unión Tepito, etcetera,” García Harfuch stated.
He further noted that the central area of Mexico City has seen the most arrests among the eleven entities where ‘Tren de Aragua’ has a presence. The latest capture was announced during yesterday’s morning press conference.
“We presented the latest arrest in the morning conference. And we have been making arrests, mainly in the central region of the country, of the eleven federal entities where we have the most presence and where the most arrests have been made, it is in the central zone,” he added.
A video titled “Tren de Aragua: 6 Arrested in CDMX; Involved in Sexual Exploitation and Drug Trafficking” was also referenced, alongside a related news item: “Blow to Tren de Aragua in CDMX: 6 Alleged Members Arrested, García Harfuch Announces.”
Expansion of ‘Tren de Aragua’ in Mexico Dismissed
Secretary García Harfuch stated that there is no significant presence of the Venezuelan criminal group in the country, and that those arrested are linked to crimes such as sexual exploitation and femicide.
“We do not have a significant or alarming presence in these eleven entities, however, there have been very regrettable crimes related to sexual exploitation, femicide and they have been arrested for these crimes, some sentences have already been issued by the Attorney General’s Office, from the first arrests that were made at the beginning of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration, they have already been sentenced by the Attorney General’s Office of CDMX,” he explained.
García Harfuch dismissed the notion of an expansion of ‘Tren de Aragua’ in Mexico, clarifying that there have been more arrests instead.
“We have not detected a greater expansion, rather we have increased the arrests of these groups, also with the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Mexico and the Ministry of Security, we have had operations against these groups and there have also been arrests,” he concluded.
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Source: N+
