Two reputed members of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, Jose Tamaronis-Caldera, 27, and Richard Garcia, 33, who reportedly crossed the border illegally in 2023, were arrested in New York City during a drug raid at a Queens auto shop. The New York Post reports, despite being apprehended on serious gun and drug charges, both suspects were released shortly afterward with minimal legal consequences, sparking criticism and concerns.

The Post reports Queens prosecutors made the decision to reduce the felony gun and drug charges from the February 5 raid to just a “misdemeanor count of possession of an air gun,” which let them off without bail.

According to The Post, “the sources said the evidence seized in the raid included a large stash of cocaine, a .40-caliber Glock Gen 22 and more than $3,100 in cash, and all of the suspects were charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.”

The owner of the shop, 54-year-old Rafael Nieves, was also arrested and faced the most serious charges, was also let go on his drug and gun possession charges citing that the new counts were “not eligible for bail under the state’s controversial criminal justice reforms.”

One frustrated law enforcement source told The Post, “These are not misguided individuals…They’re documented members of a known violent criminal enterprise, a gang who has planted their flag here by entrenching themselves in narcotics, gun and human trafficking — and the best we can do is let them out?”

“If we did our jobs with criminals we wouldn’t have ICE scouring our streets for detainees,” the source added.

Tren de Aragua is a violent transnational criminal gang originating in Venezuela, and is known for its involvement in gun and drug smuggling and human trafficking. The gang has established a significant presence in America, including New York City.

According to The Post, Tamaronis-Caldera entered the U.S. with wife and two children telling officials he would settle in North Carolina while Garcia said he would be in Georgia. The two, however, settled in New York City while they were living at the tax-funded shelters at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan and the Crowne Plaza in Queens.