U.S. Border Patrol agents and Homeland Security Investigations uncovered a man-made tunnel entering the U.S. from Mexico on Thursday. Agents discovered it in El Paso, Texas, near a storm drain system by the border wall during a security sweep of the area.
It is suspected that the “sophisticated cross-border tunnel” was used for human trafficking and drug smuggling in and out of the United States. The tunnel’s dimensions were six feet tall and four feet wide. It had a lighting and ventilation system and was supported with wooden beam braces, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
It is believed to have been built within the last year, according to reports. Border patrol agents raved about the significance of discovering the underground system.
“This is an historic event for the U.S. Border Patrol here in El Paso, Texas, along with multiple other federal, state, local, law enforcement agencies, including the government of Mexico,” said Border Patrol spokesman Claudio Herrera. “We were able to find a handmade tunnel, from Juarez [Mexico] into this area.”
Additionally, officials categorized the tunnel as a vital blow to drug smugglers and human traffickers operating in the area.
“Transnational criminal organizations mistakenly think they can avoid detection by moving people and contraband underground,” said HSI El Paso Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens. “This recent discovery is a significant blow to their operations as it highlights our capability to disrupt their sophisticated smuggling networks.”
El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Scott Good stressed the dangers of such tunnels and lauded the efforts of those who found it.
“We are proud of the Agents who discovered this smuggling infrastructure used by transnational criminal organizations,” Good said. “Our Agents are relentless in searching and surveying every square mile of the El Paso Sector. 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.”
“This alarming discovery underscores the urgent need to secure our borders and put an end to the flow of deadly drugs and human trafficking networks,” Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) posted on X.
Numerous law enforcement agencies and officials from the U.S. and Mexican governments will collaborate to determine the tunnel’s origins and the people responsible for constructing it. This joint effort includes the El Paso Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Mexican government, the U.S. Consulate General Ciudad Juarez, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the El Paso CBP Office of Field Operations. A spokesperson emphasized the significance of cooperation in the investigation.
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“The United States Border Patrol’s discovery of this tunnel, and the subsequent disruption of Transnational Criminal Organizations utilizing it, underscores the vital importance of coordination and collaboration among our law enforcement agencies,” said John Morales, FBI special agent in charge. “This successful binational operation exemplifies the strong partnerships between agencies in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, working together to secure our shared border and protect our communities.”
“These partnerships are critical in ensuring the safety and security of our communities and our nation as a whole,” he added. “The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to working with our partners along the border to combat illegal criminal activity and address national security threats, and will continue to support the ongoing investigation into this tunnel.”
