U.S. and Mexican law enforcement worked together to locate and shut down a man-made cross-border tunnel used by cartels to smuggle cargo into the U.S. across the southern border -- complete with lighting and ventilation.
Border Patrol in El Paso, Texas, discovered the tunnel on Thursday. In a statement, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said they discovered a man-made tunnel that breaches into the public storm drain.
The six-foot tall, four-foot wide tunnel was covered by a 36-by-36 inch entry hole. It was sophisticated and equipped with lighting, a ventilation system, and was supported by wooden beams throughout.
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CBP said it worked with local and federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, the El Paso Police Dept and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
It also worked with the Mexican government to uncover the tunnel.
"We are proud of the Agents who discovered this smuggling infrastructure used by transnational criminal organizations," El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Scott Good said in a statement. "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."
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FBI Special Agent in Charge John Maroles said the discovery underscores the vital importance of coordination and collaboration among our law enforcement agencies.
"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 said.
The Border Patrol has discovered a number of tunnels used by smugglers to bring in humans and drugs across the southern border over the years, including in 2020 when authorities thwarted a tunnel with a fully developed ventilation system in Arizona.
The discovery comes days before the Trump administration takes office, with border security and a crackdown against illegal immigration at the top of the agenda.
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The Biden administration was hit by a multiyear historic border crisis, although numbers subsided considerably in 2024. The administration touted a number of operations that it conducted in coordination with the Mexican government to stop smugglers crossing the border.
On Wednesday, Pam Bondi -- President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Justice -- said she would be in favor of designating Mexican cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
