Federal authorities in El Paso, Texas uncovered a "sophisticated" man-made cross-border tunnel "coming from Mexico" on Thursday. The illegal underground route is "equipped with lighting, a ventilation system, and is braced with wood beams throughout," per Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
U.S. Border Patrol Agents assigned to the El Paso station discovered the tunnel while conducting a storm drain inspection in Boone Street, which is less than a mile away from the U.S.-Mexico border. At around 1:15 a.m. the agents removed a metal plate from the public storm drain that led them to the subterranean pathway, which is around six feet tall and four feet wide.
In a written statement, El Paso Chief Sector Patrol Agent, Anthony Scott Good, described the tunnel as "smuggling infrastructure" used by transnational criminal organizations. "With our partners, we are committed to investigating these illicit activities and bringing all perpetrators to justice —those who endanger lives in these hazardous environments and circumvent the legal pathways to entering the United States," he said.
Multiple U.S. border and law enforcement agencies will be collaborating with the Mexican government to eliminate and mitigate the future illegal use of the tunnel.
The use of tunnels by criminal organizations, especially along border regions, is an ongoing issue for U.S. border authorities. In 2022, CBS reported the finding of another sophisticated tunnel connecting Tijuana to San Diego. The drug smuggling passage was similarly equipped with ventilation and lighting, as well as a rail system.
In 2020, California border authorities discovered the longest illicit cross-border tunnel to date, stretching over 4,300 feet from Tijuana, Mexico, to San Diego, California. This tunnel featured an extensive rail and cart system, forced air ventilation, high-voltage electrical cables, and an elevator at the entrance, per CBP.
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