A police officer has revealed that the dozens of bodies found in the back of a truck in Texas were 'sprinkled in steak seasoning'.
The law enforcement official spoke to The Texas Tribune, revealing that the refrigeration unit inside the truck was broken and would have led to catastrophic levels of heat.
The same official also said that many of the people found inside the truck-trailer had been peppered with steak seasoning, 'in perhaps an attempt to cover up the smell of people as the smugglers were transporting them'.
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The latest grim detail comes after the death of 50 people found inside the truck in San Antonio.
A further 12 adults and four children were found inside still alive. They have been taken to local hospitals for treatment.
San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood revealed just how horrific the discovery was.
"We’re not supposed to open up a truck and see stacks of bodies in there," he said, according to The Texas Tribune.
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"None of us come to work imagining that."
The truck's door was open and a body was located outside, but Hood said the survivors found inside had no water and were too weak to exit the vehicle on their own.
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus described the case as the deadliest human smuggling incident he has ever seen.
Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Chris Magnus released a statement on the human trafficking incident, calling it a 'tragic loss of life'.
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"This speaks to the desperation of migrants who would put their lives in the hands of callous human smugglers who show no regard for human life," Magnus said.
"We will be working with our federal, state and local partners to assist in every way possible with this investigation."
McManus revealed to reporters that authorities are not confident that all of the people who suffered in the truck have been found so far, as some may have had enough strength to try and flee before emergency crews arrived.
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The Customs and Border Protection Commissioner added that the three people currently in police custody were not found with the truck, but would not elaborate any further, according to the Tribune.
Emergency vehicles were spotted arriving at the scene at around 8pm on Monday (June 27).
The grim discovery comes weeks after US Border Patrol urged migrants not to try to cross the border through the desert as the summer heat skyrocketed.
"(We) highly discourage migrants from attempting to illegally enter the United States, especially during summer months," Border Patrol said in a statement.
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"The recent triple-digit temperatures [in Fahrenheit] represent a dangerous condition that can easily end in dehydration or heatstroke, provoking death."
Rachel Lang