Authorities have not revealed if there are any people detained in relation to the investigation of the tunnel found, but they announced that operations will continue in different areas of the border strip between Mexico and the United States.
The National Guard deployed operations in Ciudad Juárez, at the border between both countries, seizing ladders allegedly used by human traffickers to facilitate the crossing of migrants into the United States. Federal agents from the United States, in collaboration with Mexican authorities, intensified the search for a second tunnel in Ciudad Juárez following the discovery of a structure used for drug and human trafficking.
According to preliminary reports, the investigation is focused on an area near the first tunnel found under the Rio Bravo, connected to sewers and drainage systems of El Paso. This first tunnel, equipped with ventilation and lighting systems, was found in a warehouse near the Rancho Anapra neighborhood, historically linked to drug trafficking due to its proximity to the border.
The operations are part of the 'Centinela-Chihuahua' model, an inter-institutional collaboration aimed at combating crimes such as the trafficking of substances and people. Since 2021, periodic meetings have been held between U.S. and Mexican authorities to coordinate operations at the border.
Chihuahua has an extensive border, suggesting the existence of multiple clandestine routes for illegal crossing, not only in places where tunnels have been found but also through the desert and other border points. Agencies such as the DEA, FBI, CBP, Sedena, National Guard, FGR, and state and municipal police collaborate to inhibit the illegal trafficking of people and protect those attempting to cross the border from criminal gangs.
