SAN ANTONIO – The News 4 I-Team was granted access to the property where a federal operation targeted the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.
The same operation ended with more than 150 people in ICE custody, including what sources say were several gang members.
We got an exclusive inside look.
RELATED: Raid on Tren de Aragua club disrupts gang activities
The raid, conducted by a newly formed Homeland Security task force, involved the FBI and HSI San Antonio and took place early Sunday morning at a car lot near San Pedro Ave. and Basse Rd.
At 3 a.m., law enforcement sources tell us the music was blasting. Some people were coming to get food at the food trucks. Others were heading into what appeared to be a clandestine club.
At 3:05, the party was over.
It is a club you would never know was there if you were just driving by. In fact, we checked with the city and there is no certificate of occupancy for it. It is hidden behind a cargo container, similar to the ones lining parts of the Rio Grande.
But inside, sources say the makeshift club was packed when the joint operation took place.
Today, we were allowed inside to see it for ourselves.
“So someone that leases here told us that we could look and this is basically where they came into a couple of nights ago. Smells like smoke. They painted out the windows.”
The newly formed Homeland Security task force said in a statement today that the operation disrupted the Tren de Aragua criminal presence in San Antonio. Some suspected members were allegedly found inside this club early Sunday morning.
“You can still see beer bottles laying around, the windows were tinted out black.”
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Tonight, all that remains is broken glass scattered across the floor and a community waiting to learn exactly who was inside when that operation unfolded.