Following the recent discovery of a secret tunnel, Mexican authorities have launched an operation to uncover other illegal underground passages.
An illegal, secret passageway connects Ciudad Juarez in Mexico and the American city of El Paso in Texas. The tunnel under the Rio Grande River is a little over one meter wide and almost two meters high. It is connected to a stormwater drainage system and has lights and ventilation.
José Limus Cisneros, commander of the Ciudad Juárez military garrison, described what the passage looks like.
"It's supported by wooden beams, as you can see. It has wooden beams to prevent it from collapsing."
Authorities believe the underground route was used to smuggle immigrants and drugs from Mexico to the United States.
U.S. Border Patrol agents in El Paso discovered the tunnel on Jan. 9 during an inspection of a drainage system and began sealing it off on the north side of the border a week later. Mexican authorities have begun sealing off the tunnel on their side of the border and say they are looking for other routes.
"We have intensified the search for other tunnels, if there are any. Our presence will be constant," says Limus Cisneros.
The Mexican government has stepped up patrols at strategic points in Juarez to prevent immigrants from becoming trapped in tunnels or falling victim to smugglers while trying to cross the border illegally.
"Our main purpose is to protect migrants and ensure that they do not risk their lives by trying to enter the United States illegally. However, after the discovery of this tunnel, we are also focused on searching for other tunnels in the area," says Public Safety Director Gilberto Loja.
The investigation is ongoing, and Mexican authorities have reiterated their promise to close illegal routes along the border.
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