A mega-tunnel under the USA-Mexico border for smuggling people across was promoted to people on the social media platform Tiktok.
The tunnel was 40 metres long and appears to have been built by hand with a very basic ventilation system. It was discovered earlier this week when people were seen climbing into a storm drain in Juarez, Mexico. After the initial sightings, Customs and Border Protection officials, Mexican law enforcement, the Texas Department of Safety, El Paso Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI joined in an operation to shut it down.
They discovered a metal plate covering the entrance, and that the tunnel interior was around six feet tall and four feet wide, giving potential drug runners ample space to transport product. The tunnel was equipped with a dedicated lighting and was held up with wooden struts.
Now it is believed the smugglers used short clips on the video sharing platform to tell potential migrants how simple it was to get across the border using the tunnel. The video shows several people in a room and some who are close to the camera briefly share their experiences. One person speaking in Spanish to the camera said: “We went through the tunnel and thank God everything went well,” another adds “We arrived on January 8”, and a third “Thanks to MB”.
FBI Special Agent In Charge John Morales said in a statement that discover of the tunnel would disrupt “Transnational Criminal Organisations” working between the US and Mexico. He said: “The United States Border Patrol’s discovery of this tunnel, and the subsequent disruption of Transnational Criminal Organisations utilising it, 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.
“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.” El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Scott Good said border agents were “relentless” in surveying El Paso in search for the tunnel, adding the joint operation would investigate the “illicit activities” of the tunnel’s users.
He said: “We are proud of the Agents who discovered this smuggling infrastructure used by transnational criminal organisations. 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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