A prominent leader of the violent MS-13 gang was arrested early Thursday in Woodbridge, Virginia, President Donald Trump has announced.

The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in efforts to combat MS-13’s criminal activities in the U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi called the operation a success.

“I’m proud to announce that early this morning our brave law enforcement officers conducted a successful operation that captured a top MS-13 national leader,” Bondi wrote on X. “The Department of Justice will not rest until America is safe again.”

The suspect, a 24-year-old man from El Salvador, had been overseeing MS-13’s East Coast operations and is considered one of the top three leaders of the gang in the United States, according to Bondi.

“He’s in custody this morning, just miles from our nation’s capital,” Bondi said later at a news conference in Manassas, Virginia. “He was one of the most dangerous and violent members of MS-13.”

The arrest came after days of coordinated efforts by local and federal law enforcement agencies. The operation involved the FBI, Prince William County Police Department, ATF, ICE and the Virginia State Police.

While authorities declined to release the suspect’s identity, they confirmed that he was living in the U.S. illegally, just 30 minutes outside Washington, D.C.

“For certain operational reasons, we’re not identifying him by name right now,” Bondi said. “But make no mistake — he was one of the top leaders, heading up all MS-13 violent crimes on the East Coast. He was responsible for heinous acts, and he should never have been in this country.”

Bondi said the suspect had been recruited by MS-13 at a young age and had worked his way up to a leadership role within the gang. “To get to that position, you have to be ruthless and violent, but he’s no longer a threat because he’s behind bars,” she said.

The announcement was made alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, and interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erik Siebert.

In a statement on social media, Trump commended the operation and credited his border czar, Tom Homan, for his role in the success. “Tom Homan is a superstar,” Trump wrote.

Patel called the arrest a “victory” for the U.S.

“I can now confirm that earlier this morning, law enforcement personnel arrested a top MS-13 leader in Virginia. Outstanding work from @AGPamBondi, our brave agents, @CBP, @GovernorVA, and our state and local partners,” Patel wrote on X.

“We have an American dying every seven minutes from a drug overdose. That is a national security crisis we have not seen ever before,” Patel said during the news conference. “No part of that metric is a safe and secure America, but thanks to the brave leadership of this administration and the folks that you see here, we are returning our communities to safety.”

Bondi highlighted Youngkin for the state’s part in the operation.

“I want to have other governors, other law enforcement officers, come here to Virginia and see this amazing task force,” she said.

In Virginia, arrests have increased 468% from the same period last year.

“We didn’t need new laws, as President Trump always said we needed a new president, and we have great leadership standing behind him to fight to keep America safe and make America safe again,” Bondi said.

Have a news tip? Contact Jamel Valencia at jevalencia@sbgtv.com.