Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents participated in a bi-national inspection of a drainage system beneath the international border of Nogales, near the DeConcini Port of Entry, on August 26 after Mexican officials became suspicious of an opening located in a cemetery in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.
Agents from the Nogales Border Patrol station, in cooperation with Mexican authorities, investigated the tunnel and confirmed that a 20×20 inch opening was an unfinished tunnel. Agents also reported that the tunnel traveled 5 feet down on a vertical angle, then extended north below the international border and approximately 46 feet into the United States.
Inside the tunnel, agents found digging tools, power cords, a gas-powered generator, and a small swamp cooler for ventilation.
Transnational criminal organizations use a wide range of techniques to smuggle both humans and narcotics into the United States. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free.