The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in ”Kota Kecil” di Dalam Penjara
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Aragua
It is not uncommon for Ronna Risquez, a writer, to refer to the Tocoron Central Prison in the Aragua State of Venezuela as a small city. Within the prison, there is a swimming pool that sits adjacent to a children's play area, a baseball field, a pig farm, and even a mini zoo. The animals in the mini zoo consist of flamingos, wild cats, tigers, and pumas. It should be noted that this article does not contain any of the forbidden words listed above.
The Daily Mail reported that all these facilities were discovered when 11,000 fully armed security officers stormed Tocoron Prison, Wednesday (20/9/2023). The authorities also found firearms, sharp weapons and hundreds of active pineapple grenades. Not only that, the authorities also found bitcoin mining equipment which was suspected of being a means of criminal transactions for members of the Tren de Aragua gang. This gang, according to Risquez, revolutionized organized crime in Latin America.
What is even more surprising, there is a building dedicated to night entertainment. The building is called Tokio. Inside, there is a restaurant that is commonly used by prisoners to entertain their business associates and family members.
As reported by CNN on Sunday (24/9/2023), the Minister of Domestic Affairs of Venezuela, Remigio Ceballos, referred to the prison raid on Saturday as a success while inviting the media to visit inside the prison. The authorities successfully took over the prison that had been controlled by the Tren de Aragua for the past few years. He also mentioned that they managed to secure around 80 high-ranking members of Tren de Aragua.
Risquez wrote a book that highlights the gang. The Tren de Aragua gang is considered the strongest criminal gang in Venezuela. Their area of operation is not limited to just the country, but also extends to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Argentina.
