A secret cave was discovered on the border of America and Mexico

A secret tunnel discovered last week on the U.S.-Mexico border will be sealed off by Mexican authorities, an Army official in Ciudad Juarez said Saturday.

The tunnel, discovered on January 10, connects the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez with the Texas city of El Paso. It measures about 1,000 feet on the Mexican side and has lighting, ventilation and reinforcements to prevent falls, officials said.

Tucked away in a storm sewer system that runs between the two cities, the access is about 6 feet high and 4 feet wide, making it easy for people or contraband to pass through, said General Jose Lemus, commander of the Cidad Juarez military.

said Victor Manjarrez, a former Border Patrol agent with more than 20 years of experience. CBS affiliate KDBC Connecting the tunnel to a storm drain system is a common practice among smugglers.

“This is definitely not a mom-and-pop operation,” he added.

An investigation into the construction is underway, he said.

The construction of the tunnel must have taken a long time…it may take one or two years,” Mr. Lemus said in a statement to reporters.

The Office of the Attorney General of Mexico stated that he is responsible for the investigation and that he will take the responsibility of verifying that there is no complicity on the part of the authorities.

Lemus also said clues about the existence and location of the cave were discussed by human traffickers on social media platforms such as Tik Tok.

US President Donald Trump has stepped up security measures on both sides of the US-Mexico border ahead of Monday’s inauguration, as the returning Republican vows to deport more migrants once he takes office.

In the state of Chihuahua, including Ciudad Juarez, authorities reported a fire at a temporary camp for undocumented migrants, prompting the evacuation of 39 adults and 17 minors, the country’s police said.

According to the Mexican newspaper Reforma, the fire was started by some migrants who were camped out so that immigration authorities could arrest them and move them to Mexico City and later deport them.

The National Institute on Migration did not respond to AFP’s request for comment.