More than 90 people found in Houston home in suspected smuggling case

Police officials stand outside 12200 Chessington Drive in southwest Houston, Texas, U.S., April 30, 2021. Dozens of persons were found inside a residence in Southwest Houston, which was initially reported as a kidnapping but prompted police to look into human smuggling, police and local news organizations reported. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

HOUSTON — Police responding to reports of a kidnapping said on Friday they had found more than 90 people crammed into a two-story suburban Houston home and suspected it was being used in a human smuggling operation.

The 90 victims, all but about five of them men, were removed from the house and given food and water, said Daryn Edwards, assistant chief of the Houston Police Department.

“They basically (were) in there in their basic clothing and all, all huddled together. So that’s what we saw when we got in,” he said. No children were found among them.

At least several of the people showed symptoms of COVID-19 infection, including fever and lack of taste or smell, Edward said. The victims told police they had not eaten recently.

The victims were issued personal protective gear and put onto white buses. It was not immediately clear where they were being taken.

Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were seen at the house along with local police and firefighters.

Edwards said no arrests had been made in the case as of Friday afternoon and declined to offer further details, citing the ongoing investigation.