A dozen migrants were found hidden inside hollow hay bales following a traffic stop in Texas.
Fayette County Sheriff Keith Korenek said an official stopped a pickup truck carrying a trailer loaded with the bales about 90 miles east of San Antonio.
A closer inspection of the vehicle showed that the bales had been "meticulously altered and hollowed out to create concealed compartments," the sheriff said.
After looking inside, authorities found metal frameworks and "multiple undocumented individuals being smuggled in dangerously confined spaces."
"This method of concealment is not only deceptive but incredibly dangerous to human life," sheriff Korenek said in a statement on Facebook. "Smugglers continue to use increasingly creative and hazardous techniques to transport individuals across Texas highway," he added.
The driver of the vehicle was taken to the hospital and two people accused of coordinating the operation were taken into custody and are facing federal and state charges related to human smuggling. The migrants were turned to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for processing.
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