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DEA raids party in Colorado, arrests nearly 50 undocumented immigrants, some of whom allegedly are TdA gang members

Feds say they arrested Cubans, Venezuelans, Italians at Tren de Aragua-organized party
Feds say they arrested Cubans, Venezuelans, Italians at Tren de Aragua-organized party 03:02

UPDATE: Federal officials say they arrested Cubans, Venezuelans, and Italians at TdA-organized party in Colorado

Federal agents interrupted a party at a "makeshift nightclub" north of Denver early Sunday morning and arrested almost 50 people of undetermined immigration status, a large number of whom are reportedly affiliated with the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang. 

A spokesperson with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Rocky Mountain Division told CBS Colorado that the immigration status of all the arrestees was "questionable" and being examined. 

DEA agents, along with others from the Denver offices of Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, conducted an early morning raid. They entered a building at the 6600 block of North Federal Boulevard in unincorporated Adams County that had been converted into a "makeshift nightclub," as described by the DEA in a social media post.

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Federal and local law enforcement personnel enter a building early Sunday morning located at 6600 block of North Federal Boulevard. The operation targeted drug traffickers and members of the Tren de Aragua gang originating from Venezuela. Approximately 50 people were arrested, all of whom are having their immigration status examined, per a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration spokesperson. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration/X

Drugs, weapons and cash were seized, the DEA said. The operation targeted drug trafficking and members of the TdA gang. 

After those 50 undocumented immigrants were taken into custody by the DEA, they were handed over to ICE, according to Steffan Tubbs of the DEA-Rocky Mountain Division.

An ICE spokesperson contacted Sunday morning did not want to comment on the specifics of its role in the bust or speculate on how many of the arrestees would be held locally on criminal charges or immediately deported. A spokesperson with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado also declined to comment Sunday morning about potential federal charges against the arrestees.

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U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration/X

TdA gang activity is partly to blame for unsafe conditions at several apartment buildings in Aurora. City officials there announced last week their intent to seek closure of the five remaining buildings in the Edge of Lowry complex at Dallas Street and East 12th Avenue. Residents have already been asked to vacate a sixth building in which a migrant couple was taken captive and beaten by alleged gang members late last year. 

Nineteen people were arrested last month by Aurora Police Department officers in December as a result of their investigation into that incident. Sixteen of the 19 arrestees were at that time believed to be TdA members. 

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A door at the rear of the building raided early Sunday morning by federal agents.  CBS

Aurora officials took over management of the buildings from CBZ Management. A judge appointed a new manager to oversee the sixth building as tenants seek new housing. They've been given a Feb. 18 deadline to be out of the Edge of Lowry apartments. 

The City of Denver announced Friday its own closure of a CBZ-managed apartment building, also for reported unsafe living conditions. 

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Police tape still surrounds the building at 6600 North Federal Boulevard mid-morning Sunday following a raid by federal agents hours earlier. The building is located in unincorporated Adams County. CBS

An undisclosed number of officers from local police agencies supported the federal raid.

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