DominicanToday.com - The Dominican gang "Los Trinitarios” (The Trinity) of New York, has 1,181 active members, according to the New York City Police (NYPD) report cited by The New York Times.

Considered one of the most violent and dangerous in recent decades, the gang has expanded to other cities in the U.S. Northeast including Philadelphia, Newark and Boston and recruits mostly in schools where its leaders attract under age students of both sexes to the gang’s "initiation" ritual.

The New York Times says NYPD Anti Gang Unit investigators render weekly reports to Police commissioner Raymond Kelly, and names other gangs with many more members than "Los Trinitarios,” which use symbols such as the Dominican flag and seal and others depicting their serious crimes linked to drug trafficking, illegal weapons, kidnapping, extortion, blackmail and rape.

Local and federal agents have arrested and indicted hundreds of its members in recent years, and sentenced to long prison terms in the U.S. correctional facilities.

NYPD experts affirm that "Los Trinitarios" is one of the fastest growing gangs in the states of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts).

NYPD arrest Dominican charged with heading powerful gun-runners

New York.- The Dominican Reinaldo Romero, 28, was arrested and charged with heading a powerful ring of gun smugglers operating from a barbershop in the Soundview section of the Bronx.

Romero was arrested with 13 others, including other Dominicans accused of the same crime and other charges, according to the Bronx County Office of the DA.  It said 54 weapons were seized, including pistols, assault rifles and machine guns in raids by local and federal agents.

Investigators say Romero owns the barbershop and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Also charged were Christopher Baez, Elvis Montero, Jose Martinez, Angel Plass, Jonas Acevedo, Thomas Disla, Christina Rodriguez and Jessenia Carrasquillo, who face sentences of 15 years in prison.

The 18 month-long  operation "Ghostbusters" used undercover agents posing as gun "buyers" in 33 separate transactions directly with Romero, whom Prosecutors affirm called or sent text messages every time he sold weapons.

Nine of the defendants also sold ammo, bullet-proof vests and cocaine to police.

A judge had authorized the tapping of 11 phones to tape the smugglers’ calls to the undercover agents.