Houston police responding to reports of a kidnapping have found more than 90 people crammed into a two-storey suburban home, which they suspect was being used in a human smuggling operation.
The 90 victims — all but five were men — were removed from the house and given food and water, said Daryn Edwards, assistant chief of the Houston Police Department.
"They [were found] in their basic clothing and all huddled together. So that's what we saw when we got in," he said.
No children were among the victims.
Authorities initially served a search warrant at the house after someone called police to report a loved one was being held there, Mr Edwards said.
At least several of the people showed symptoms of COVID-19 infection, including fever and lack of taste or smell, Mr Edwards said.
The victims told police they had not eaten recently.
They 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.
Mr Edwards said no arrests had been made in the case as of Friday afternoon (local time) and declined to offer further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
ABC/wires
