ICE agents nabbed a murderous illegal migrant and MS-13 gangbanger during a crafty traffic-stop sting in upstate New York last week, authorities said.
Federal immigration agents got a tip on the whereabouts of fugitive accused killer and drug-trafficker Alejandro Perla Cruz, 37, of El Salvador on April 7 and set up a trap to nab him, officials said.
Cruz had been wanted for years, they said.
The agents finally were able to pull Cruz over near Newburgh under the ruse of a traffic stop at 6 a.m. April 13 and took him into custody, where he is now awaiting proceedings to send him back to face justice in El Salvador, authorities said.
“ICE New York City will not allow violent criminals to evade justice within the United States, and we will never waver in our mission and mandate to remove them from our country,” said Kenneth Genalo, director of the ICE New York City Field Office, in a statement.
“Protecting New Yorkers from criminal illegal aliens will always be a priority for this office,” Genalo said. “I am grateful to our officers and our FBI partners for their work in removing this gang member from our streets so he can be returned to his home country to face prosecution for his heinous crimes.”
It is not clear when Cruz snuck into the US.
He is a reputed member of MS-13, the violent migrant gang that has terrorized parts of the New York metro area for years and was already wanted by cops in South America, the feds said.
“MS-13 member Alejandro Perla Cruz fled his own country and entered the United States unlawfully to avoid being arrested for homicide and narcotics trafficking charges,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle in a statement.
“The United States is no longer a sanctuary for violent criminals, and the FBI will continue utilizing immigration authorities to safeguard our communities.”