Sophisticated Smuggling Tunnel Discovered Between El Paso and Juarez

The tunnel, equipped with electricity and ventilation, highlights ongoing challenges in combating transnational criminal networks at the U.S.-Mexico border.

U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations uncovered a 4-foot-wide, 6-foot-high tunnel connecting El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico, built within the past year.
The tunnel featured wooden beam reinforcements, electricity, and a ventilation system, and was hidden under a metal plate near a six-lane highway in Juarez.
Authorities believe the tunnel was likely used for smuggling drugs and 'high-value' migrants, including individuals paying large sums to avoid detection.
Experts raised concerns about how such a sophisticated structure could be built in a highly visible area without earlier detection, suggesting logistical oversight on both sides of the border.
Investigations are ongoing, with U.S. and Mexican authorities collaborating to identify those responsible and prevent future underground smuggling operations.