A joint operation in Chile between the Prosecutor’s Office and the Investigation Police (PDI) dismantled a financial network of the Aragua train, accused of washing 13.5 million dollars (USD) through cryptocurrencies.
The operation, called “Train del Mar”, culminated in the arrest of 52 people – 47 of them foreigners – and the freezing of more than 250 bank accounts and funds in cryptoactive. The authorities consider it one of the greatest advances against the Venezuelan criminal organization in Chilean territory.
Unlike other factions of the Aragua train associated with violent crimes, This cell operated with an almost business structure.
The main objective of this branch was to manage and mobilize funds obtained from various illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, kidnappings, extortion and illegal charges to migrants, according to the regional prosecutor of Tarapacá, Trinidad Steinert.
Once gathered, The funds were converted into digital assets and sent abroad to seven countries, mainly to Spain, the United States and Mexico.
From the Chilean Public Ministry They stood out That the complexity of the washing scheme was evident when evading the monitoring and detection of suspicious operations in public and private entities, which underlines the urgent need to strengthen prevention mechanisms and promote greater cooperation between institutions.
According to Mexican security specialist David Saucedo, the Aragua train has adopted tactics similar to those used by major criminal organizations: “What we are seeing is that the Aragua train is cloning the capital laundering strategy that have developed groups such as the Sinaloa poster or the Jalisco-New Generation poster.”
In addition, Saucedo He added: “As it is easy to assume, in Venezuela there are no important transactions with cryptoactives, but being in contact with Mexican criminal mafias have begun to use bleaching tactics such as the use of cryptocurrencies.”
According to Venezuelan journalist Ronna Rísquez, author of the book The Aragua train, The criminal network has diversified its activities until they cover about 20 criminal itemsincluding illegal mining, fuel theft, microtrafficking and even the theft of high -end vehicles.
Researchers admit that, although the confiscation represents an important advance, its long -term effect is limited.
“Unfortunately, what is seized, detainees, frustrated drug shipments or frozen accounts do not significantly affect criminal groups,” said Saucedo.
These actions, he added, “serve to show off the local authorities, to expose the modus operandi, alert other governments and open new lines of investigation, but the truth is that when the authorities detect the money laundering, the criminals have been doing it for a long time.”
However, from the Public Ministry of Chile they highlighted the importance of this type of actions to weaken criminal organizations.
«We know that following the route of money is a central strategy to define criminal organizations. We will not allow them to show off with the pain of the victims or strengthen their structures with money stained by the crime », They pointed out the authorities of the South American country.
As Cryptonoticias reported, the United States government has recognized the Aragua Train as a transnational criminal organization. This Venezuelan band, which has expanded its influence in Latin America, combines crimes such as kidnappings and extortion with complex international financial operations that use cryptocurrencies.
