The Department of Justice announced the indictment of 30 defendants, including alleged leaders of the Aragua Train transnational gang, after a nine-month investigation into drug and weapons trafficking in Colorado.

The announcement comes just over two weeks after two alleged high-ranking members of the criminal organization known as the Aragua Train were arrested in Medellin in a joint operation between the Colombian National Police's Gaula Elite and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Now in the United States, the attorney general's office for the District of Colorado announced the arrests for drug trafficking, murder for hire and firearms offenses, including “several alleged leaders and members of the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua.”

These charges include two Venezuelans arrested by Colombia in July who are awaiting extradition to the United States: Luis Alejandro Enriquez Charaima, alias Alex, and Luis Fernando Uribe Torrealba, alias Luissito.

The other 28 individuals face charges following a nine-month investigation that began at an apartment complex in the Denver metropolitan area, Colorado’s capital, which “experienced an increase in violent crime and drug activity,” according to a DOJ statement.

The charges include weapons trafficking, using weapons to traffic drugs, and possession of weapons and ammunition in the hands of foreigners illegal drugs, and trafficking substances such as methamphetamines, cocaine and 'Tulsi', a pinkish narcotic originating in Venezuela that contains ketamine and ecstasy, according to the U.S. Government.

Five of the defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit contract murder.

In addition, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) recovered 69 firearms in the operation, including automatic pistols, and "many of them are related to shootings in Denver and Aurora," including robberies, it added.