The NYPD is currently investigating the possibility that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua may be involved in pimping women in Queens’ Market of Sweethearts, an area where dozens of prostitutes operate in defiance of law enforcement efforts to crack down on the issue. This notorious sex corridor along Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights has seen a surge in sex trafficking due to the migrant influx to the city. Despite the presence of 30 officers patrolling the area, prostitutes are still boldly offering their services on the streets.
During a visit to Roosevelt Avenue, a red-headed prostitute propositioned a Post reporter for sex, while another prostitute nearby offered her services for $100, claiming it covered everything. When asked about Tren de Aragua, some of the women denied knowing about the gang, but there were men wearing the gang’s trademark colors seen monitoring the activities of the prostitutes. Gang members have been identified in videos posted on social media, wearing identifying symbols associated with the gang.
Advocates have suggested that Tren de Aragua actively recruits women in city migrant shelters and targets them for exploitation. The women appear to be engaged in sex work willingly, but there are allegations of coercion and abuse by members of the gang. In order to address the issue, advocates are urging law enforcement to focus on targeting the buyers of sex in order to disrupt the market for these illicit activities. According to the NYPD, efforts are currently focused on apprehending ‘Johns’ involved in soliciting sex, but data on arrests has not been released yet.
Roosevelt Avenue has been described as being “out of control” by a retired vice-squad detective, who cites the influx of migrants and the rise of new gangs like Tren de Aragua as contributing factors. Many sex workers are lured into the trade under false pretenses, promised restaurant jobs but ending up on the streets instead. The prevalence of pimps, particularly targeting migrant women, has increased, and gang violence has escalated in the area due to the competition for control of the sex trade. Soft-on-crime policies under the de Blasio administration have been blamed for exacerbating the situation.
One transgender prostitute with 15 years of experience working the avenue mentioned the increase in the number of pimps due to the recent migrant wave. The streets are now populated by men attempting to exploit vulnerable women and engage in illicit activities. Prostitution is openly conducted, with madams offering services for prices like “$100 for chica chica” and “sucky sucky” in exchange for cash. Pimps are taking advantage of the vulnerable migrant population, creating a dangerous and exploitative environment for sex workers on Roosevelt Avenue.
