ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Authorities have arrested a man in New Mexico believed to be a member of the violent Tren de Aragua gang, a group linked to drug trafficking and violent crimes across the U.S. and Latin America.
Leonel Arquimedes Bustamante-Sanchez, 27, was taken into custody on Wednesday in Albuquerque by New Mexico State Police (NMSP) after officers pulled him over in a vehicle matching the description of a stolen car.
According to a press release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) responded to the scene and confirmed Bustamante-Sanchez’s identity as a suspected member of the Tren de Aragua gang. This Venezuelan-origin gang is known for its involvement in crimes such as drug trafficking and murder, with growing activity in the Albuquerque area.
ICE revealed that this was not Bustamante-Sanchez’s first encounter with U.S. law enforcement. On August 22, 2023, he was apprehended by Border Patrol agents in El Paso but was later released on his own recognizance after receiving a notice to appear before an immigration judge.
“This time, he will remain in ICE custody,” officials said in the release.
Adding to the gravity of his arrest, ICE confirmed that Bustamante-Sanchez is wanted in Colombia, where he was sentenced to seven years in prison for charges related to illegal firearms possession and trafficking.
Authorities emphasized that his continued presence in the U.S. posed a significant public safety risk.
