HOUSTON — Police in Houston rescued more than two dozen people from that they said was a human smuggling operation.

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Officials brought down the ring after a man escaped Thursday night wearing only his underwear, and was seen running down a street yelling he had been kidnapped, NBC News reported.

He told police there were others being held against their will at a home, KPRC reported.

Police forced their way into the home and found as many as 29 men and a woman, most of whom were apparently from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras or Cuba, The Associated Press reported.

They were all wearing only underwear.

Three people were being held in connection with the alleged kidnapping ring, with police believing they were what are called coyotes, or people hired to smuggle people into the U.S., KPRC reported.

Police said they were also in their undergarments, but officials said they stuck out from the group because their undergarments were clean while the others were not, the AP reported.

Police said the victims were picked up in Brownsville, Texas, a town on the border with Mexico more than 350 miles from Houston, between two days and a week ago, KPRC reported.

All were taken to an area school and given food and clothes donated by the community, NBC News reported.

The Department of Homeland Security is investigating, NBC News reported.

Cox Media Group