The US-Mexico border wall is in focus again but for a different reason. The authorities have revealed the presence of a really long sophisticated tunnel that is fitted with all amenities. Drug smugglers use such tunnels to transport contraband from Mexico to the United States. This tunnel can claim to be the longest smuggling tunnel ever discovered on the south-west border. US Customs and Border Protection have described the tunnel that extends for more than 4,300ft and runs approximately 70 ft below the surface.

The height of the tunnel is about 5.5ft and it has a rail-cart system for transporting materials.

There are also provisions for ventilation, drainage, and electricity apart from an elevator. It is, in short, a self-contained facility that can circumvent the border wall above the ground and outwit those guarding it. An official for Homeland Security said the tunnel is proof that those who are behind it have invested their time and resources to give it a shape.

The Guardian says so far, there has been no arrests or seizures. It seems drug smugglers have used tunnels in the past. The first such tunnel came to the surface in 1990 and its purpose was to transport drugs into the United States by bypassing the guards at the border.

Since then, authorities have come more underground routes along the southern border from Texas to California.

Mexico discovered the tunnel in August

Those who enforce the law know that drug smugglers use various methods to move the contraband into America and tunnels are one option. US Customs and Border Protection have facilities in the form of ground-penetrating radar devices to locate tunnels.

However, the rocky terrain and the network of interconnecting underground sewage systems interfere with the technology. Credit for unearthing this tunnel goes to Mexico. Their law enforcement officials discovered it in August, identified the entrance, mapped its route and informed their counterparts in the United States.

On the subject of arrests, The Guardian quotes Deputy Chief Aaron Heitke as saying, “The investigation continues, and I am confident that our hard work and dedication to uphold the law will lead to future arrests and seizures.” Tunnels come in handy for not just drug smuggling but also for the movement of illegal migrants.

They breach the border wall or climb over it. Border agents are alive to the problem and routinely patrol the area to deter people from entering the United States illegally. Donald Trump has continued to focus on building a border wall. It was an election promise in 2016. However, narcotics continue to flow into the country.

Drug smugglers in Mexico keep innovating

According to CBS News, while the US Customs and Border Protection force tightens security at the border, drug smugglers in Mexico keep innovating. The latest discovery of a nearly three-fourths of a mile tunnel is an example of the lengths they can go to. It originates in Mexico and ends in the US. Aaron Heitke says, "It's going to be people, it's going to be narcotics, the potential for weapons and ammunition." There has been a rise in the seizure of various types of drugs over the past five years but they keep coming.

Border Patrol agents also have to handle the issue of illegal migrants at the southern border.

The US-Mexico border wall expected to end the menace

Donald Trump promised a border wall between the United States and Mexico. It was a promise he made during the 2016 presidential campaign. His intention was to deter drug smugglers and illegal migrants from entering America. At one time, he had even threatened to close the border with Mexico. However, those who deal in drugs appear to find tunnels a more convenient and safer option to carry on their activities.
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