HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — More than 40 people, who law enforcement officials believe may be affiliated or connected with the Venezuelan transnational gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA), were taken into custody near a Hays County home Tuesday. The FBI said it recently discovered information about a "p ossible gathering of suspected TdA members or TdA associates in Hays County," according to a press release from the FBI San Antonio Division. On Tuesday morning, the Texas Department of Public Safety's Special Response Team carried out a search warrant at a Hays County residence, resulting in narcotics being seized and more than 40 people, including minors, being taken into custody, the FBI said. The press release said potential charges would be based on the continuing investigation and evidence found during the search warrant. The FBI said this incident is part of a years-long investigation into TdA by federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, including the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In September, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott designated TdA as a terrorist organization and launched a statewide operation to target the gang. “The recent entry and expansion of the vicious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, is a dangerous and deadly problem facing our state and nation,” Abbott said at the September press conference. "Our goal is to defend Texas from the growing threat of the gang. We will not let them use Texas as a base of operations to terrorize our citizens. They have a target on their back, and we are going after them. Texas is the wrong state for them to try to do business in," he continued. ...read more read less