A spokesperson with the Austin Police Department (APD) verified to Breitbart Texas that a potential human smuggling operation was busted in the southeast area of Austin, Texas. Local media outlet KVUE reported that a tip led police to the scene where 28 people–all adults–were being held reportedly against their will in a mobile home.
The apparent human smuggling operation occurred on Freidrich Lane in the Paisano mobile home community, according to KVUE.
A spokesperson with the Austin Police Department (APD) told Breitbart Texas that at this time, police do not know who operated the ring and how many individuals were victims.
According to KVUE, two individuals found in the trailer were taken to the hospital–the rest were loaded onto a Capital Metro bus. Police reportedly do not know how long the hostages were being held, and whether they were smuggled into the U.S. illegally.
At this time, no arrests have been announced in connection with the case. KVUE reported that police intend to interview all 28 individuals to discern victims from perpetrators.
The case appears to echo a recent incident in Houston, where 115 hostages were found inside a locked, single-story home. Breitbart Texas reported that five accused smugglers “detained and threatened” the hostages, who are all illegal immigrants, in order to extort monies.
When officers initially entered the Houston residence around 11 a.m., “they saw a sea of people, some sitting on top of each other,” Houston Police Department spokesman John Cannon told Breitbart Texas. “The conditions inside were filthy and dirty. Everywhere you looked there were clothes on the floor. There was one bathroom, no hot water, and a toilet that was only partially working…We got all the people out of the home. They were very tired and hungry so we provided them with food and water.”
Greg Palmore of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement told Breibart Texas that the alleged human stash house was, “the largest numbers of individuals in one residence I have ever seen.”
Austin PD informed Breitbart Texas that more official information is expected to be released on March 26.
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