More than 90 people were found inside a Houston area home Friday, and investigators think they were part of a human smuggling operation.
Houston police initially got a call about a kidnapping Thursday night. That investigation turned up information that led them to search a home on Houston’s southwest side. SWAT officers and others executed the search warrant Friday morning.
“When they got inside the house, they realized that this is actually gonna turn into a human smuggling investigation,” said Assistant Chief D. B. Edwards.
More than 90 people were packed into the two-story home, Edwards said they were huddled together.
“It was a big surprise when we got into the house and saw what was going on,” Edwards said. He said the information uncovered during the kidnapping investigation did not lead them to believe they would find so many people inside the home.
Police say it appears there are only about five women in the group and the rest are men. The youngest person is “probably early 20s,” Edwards added.
Right now officers are working out who the victims are, and if any of the people they found at the home are potential suspects. They did not share any information about how the people came to be in the home and who may have brought them there.
Neighbors told officers they had no clue what was going on at the home.
Initial reports are more than 90 people were found. No other info available at this time. #HouNews
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) April 30, 2021
