Alleged Venezuelan gang leader Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano has been added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list and sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury. The FBI Houston has confirmed that he is a senior figure within the Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang, which is being labeled as a foreign terrorist organization. Authorities allege that Mosquera Serrano has been orchestrating drug trafficking operations and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist group. He is the first known TdA member to make the FBI’s infamous list.
The Tren de Aragua gang originated in Venezuelan prisons and has since evolved into one of the most violent and transnational gangs in the Americas. It is now operating across Latin America and the United States, engaging in organized crimes such as drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, extortion, and human smuggling. According to the FBI, the gang’s operations are driven by leaders like Mosquera Serrano, who are responsible for orchestrating brutal murders, forced prostitution, kidnappings, and the destruction of lives across continents.
The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned Mosquera Serrano in connection with his alleged involvement in TdA activities. The Treasury Secretary emphasized that TdA remains focused on terrorizing communities and facilitating the flow of illicit narcotics into the United States, relying on key leaders like Mosquera Serrano to finance and oversee violent operations. The FBI and Treasury are working in close coordination with law enforcement agencies to disrupt the gang’s criminal enterprise.
A federal arrest warrant has been issued for Mosquera Serrano, and the U.S. is offering up to $3 million for information leading to his arrest or conviction. The FBI has urged the public to submit tips through its official tip line, local FBI offices, or anonymous channels such as WhatsApp and Telegram. The multinational law enforcement effort involves a coalition of agencies, including the FBI, DEA, Homeland Security, ATF, Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department, and the Colombian National Police. The FBI’s legal attaché in Bogotá is also supporting the case.
The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list has proven to be a powerful tool for locating fugitives, with 497 of 536 people being captured. More than 160 arrests have been made thanks to public tips. In addition to Mosquera Serrano, the list includes two other fugitives connected to international criminal organizations: Wilver Villegas-Palomino, an alleged member of Colombia’s ELN, and Yulan Adonay Archaga Carias, an allegedly MS-13 leader in Honduras. The FBI’s strategy highlights the growing global reach of transnational criminal organizations and the need for international cooperation in combating such groups.