Full article by Tony Mottola and Dan Scherr, an Article Out Loud from Domestic Preparedness, October 2, 2024.
In this feature article, two U.S. military veterans with extensive homeland security experience highlight the threats posed by transnational organized crime syndicates or transnational street gangs. They share the case of one transnational criminal organization, Tren de Aragua, whose operations spread from Venezuela across Latin America into the United States.
Learn how federal, state, and local agencies must collaborate and coordinate with partner agencies and human intelligence within migrant communities to thwart this growing threat.
Anthony (Tony) Mottola
Anthony (Tony) Mottola, Ph.D., has over 35 years of law enforcement and security experience, including the New York City Police Department, United States Air Force, and the National Basketball Association (NBA). He retired as a sergeant detective (SDS) after 25 years as a member of the New York Police Department (NYPD). He served as executive officer for the NYPD Intelligence Bureau’s Strategic Unit, which is a covert counterterrorism initiative, and director of the Domestic Liaison Program. He represented the Intelligence Bureau in numerous investigations, including the Boston Bombing, civil unrest, mass shootings, and large-scale incidents outside New York City. During his tenure with the NYPD, he worked additional assignments in Counter Terrorism, Gang Intelligence, Detective Bureau, Task Force, Street Narcotics Enforcement Unit, anti-gang/graffiti units, and patrol. He was a first responder/search leader for recovery efforts and supervisor of security details in the immediate aftermath of the World Trade Center attacks. Dr. Mottola has conducted extensive research into human trafficking, labor trafficking, border operations, and transnational organized crime. He is currently an assistant professor of Criminology and Homeland Security at the University of Tennessee-Southern.
- Anthony (Tony) Mottolahttps://domesticpreparedness.com/author/anthony-tony-mottola
- Anthony (Tony) Mottolahttps://domesticpreparedness.com/author/anthony-tony-mottola
- Anthony (Tony) Mottolahttps://domesticpreparedness.com/author/anthony-tony-mottola
- Anthony (Tony) Mottolahttps://domesticpreparedness.com/author/anthony-tony-mottola
Dan Scherr
Dan Scherr holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy Administration with a terrorism, mediation, and peace focus. He is an assistant professor in Criminal Justice and Homeland Security at the University of Tennessee Southern and program coordinator for the Cybersecurity Program. He is also a co-director of the Honors College. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner and Army veteran who served stateside during the September 11th attacks and has over two decades of experience in homeland security and operations.
- Dan Scherrhttps://domesticpreparedness.com/author/dan-scherr
- Dan Scherrhttps://domesticpreparedness.com/author/dan-scherr
- Dan Scherrhttps://domesticpreparedness.com/author/dan-scherr
- Dan Scherrhttps://domesticpreparedness.com/author/dan-scherr