‘Our agents are relentless’: Feds close cross-border tunnel used by Mexican cartels for smuggling into the US
US and Mexican law enforcement have worked together to locate and imprison the artificially created cross-border tunnel used by cartels to smuggle cargo into the US 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 cutting through a public stormwater drain.
The six-foot-high, four-foot-wide tunnel was covered by a 36-by-36-inch entrance hole. It was sophisticated and equipped with lighting, a ventilation system, and was supported by wooden beams everywhere.
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A bi-national operation dismantles a human trafficking tunnel in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on January 10, 2025. (Christian Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)
CBP said it has been working with local and federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs EnforcementThe FBI, the El Paso Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
He also worked with the Mexican government to uncover the tunnels.
“We are proud of the agents who uncovered this smuggling infrastructure used by transnational criminal organizations,” El Paso Sector Patrol Chief Anthony Scott Good said in a statement. “Our agents are relentless in searching and inspecting every square mile of the El Paso Sector. With our partners, we are committed to investigating these illegal activities and bringing to justice all perpetrators — those who endanger lives in these dangerous environments and bypass legal pathways to enter the United States. “
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A bi-national operation dismantles a human trafficking tunnel in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, on January 10, 2025. (Photo by Christian Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)
FBI Special Agent in Charge John Maroles said the discovery underscores the vital importance of coordination and cooperation among our law enforcement agencies.
“This successful bi-national operation is an example of the strong partnership 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 is.
U.S. authorities, Border Patrol agents and the Texas National Guard investigate the area where a tunnel was found between Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on January 14, 2025. (Getty Images)
The Border Patrol has discovered numerous tunnels used by smugglers to bring people and drugs across the southern border over the years, including in 2020 when authorities blocked a tunnel with a fully developed ventilation system in Arizona.
The revelation comes days before the Trump administration takes office, with border security and cracking down on illegal immigration at the top of the agenda.
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The Biden administration has been hit by a multi-year historic border crisis, although the numbers have dropped significantly in 2024. The administration has touted a series of operations it has 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 Justice Department — said she would be in favor of designating Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
