A secret tunnel found on the US-Mexico border has been closed

An army official in Ciudad Juarez said Saturday that a secret tunnel discovered last week on the US-Mexico border will be sealed by Mexican authorities.

The tunnel, discovered on January 10, connects Ciudad Juarez, Mexico with El Paso, Texas. On the Mexican side, it measures about 1,000 feet and is equipped with lighting, ventilation and is reinforced to prevent collapses, officials said.

Concealed in the storm sewer system that runs between the two cities, its entrance is about 6 feet high and 4 feet wide, making it easy for people or contraband to pass through, said Gen. Jose Lemus, commander of the Ciudad Juarez military garrison that guards the tunnel.

Victor Manjarrez, the former head of the Border Patrol sector with more than 20 years of experience, informed about this CBS affiliate KDBC Connecting the tunnel to the storm sewer system is a common practice among smugglers.

“It’s definitely not a mom and pop operation. It’s way beyond that,” he said.

According to the officials, an investigation is being conducted regarding its construction.

Construction of the tunnel “should have taken a long time … maybe a year or two,” Lemus told reporters, declining to elaborate on how long it would take, as well as its possible builders and operators.

He said Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office is in charge of the investigation and will be responsible for determining whether there was complicity because it was built without the knowledge of authorities.

Lemus also said clues about the existence and location of the tunnel were discussed by traffickers on social media platforms such as TikTok.

Both sides of the US-Mexico border have stepped up security ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president on Monday, as the returning Republican has vowed to deport migrants en masse shortly after taking office.

Authorities in Chihuahua state, which includes Ciudad Juarez, reported a fire at a makeshift camp for undocumented migrants, prompting the evacuation of 39 adults and 17 minors, according to state police.

According to the Mexican newspaper Reforma, the fire was started by some migrants who were camping there to resist immigration authorities’ attempts to detain them and transfer them to Mexico City for deportation.

The National Migration Institute did not respond to AFP’s requests for comment.