FAYETTE COUNTY, Texas (KWKT) – Several individuals were discovered hidden within hay bales that had been modified, in what Texas authorities describe as a “significant human smuggling discovery.”

Fayette County Sheriff Keith Korenek reported that a deputy pulled over a Ford F-250 towing a gooseneck hay trailer filled with round bales on Interstate 10 near Flatonia, approximately 90 miles east of San Antonio.

Although Korenek did not disclose the reason for the traffic stop on Tuesday, he mentioned that a thorough examination of the hay bales showed they had been “meticulously altered and hollowed out to form concealed compartments.”

Within the bales, behind metal frameworks and layers of hay, authorities found “multiple undocumented individuals being smuggled in dangerously confined spaces.”

“This method of concealment is not only deceptive but incredibly dangerous to human life,” Korenek wrote on Facebook. “Smugglers continue to use increasingly creative and hazardous techniques to transport individuals across Texas highways.”

The truck’s driver, 44-year-old Delbert Flanders of Kansas, was taken to the hospital for medical treatment. Korenek said 22-year-old Adanaylo Lambert and 25-year-old Lency Delgado Fernandez, both of Houston, coordinated the effort and have been taken into custody.

Federal and state human smuggling charges are expected, Korenek said.

Those found within the hay bales were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for processing.

No additional details were immediately available. Sheriff Korenek said the case remains under investigation.