Mexican Human Traffickers Advertise Illegal Border Tunnel on TikTok

mexico, united states - Mexican human traffickers promote an illegal border tunnel on TikTok, offering a safe passage to the U.S. in minutes.

A tunnel built by human traffickers was discovered under the border between Ciudad Juárez in Mexico and El Paso in the United States. The criminals used TikTok to attract customers by sharing videos of the illegal crossing on social media. Migrants who successfully crossed the Rio Bravo (Rio Grande) also promoted the tunnel on TikTok and Facebook, claiming to have reached the U.S. within minutes. The traffickers themselves stated on social media that the illegal passage through various tunnels takes approximately 20 minutes, charging five to six thousand euros per migrant.

The forty-meter-long tunnel, supported by wooden beams, is 1.8 meters high and 1.2 meters wide. Cables and pipes for lighting and ventilation were installed along the ceiling and walls. The tunnel builders utilized an existing sewage and drainage system, as reported by various Mexican media outlets. Social media images show remnants of clothing, bags, and waste, with the entrance concealed behind a one-square-meter metal plate.

Following the joint operation by U.S. and Mexican authorities, the TikTok accounts regarding the tunnel went viral, and the National Guards now monitor the tunnel's entrance and exit on both sides of the border. Some users claim to have known about the underground passage more than a year ago. Mexican security authorities took action based on witness tips regarding 'suspicious movements.' The Mexican Ministry of Security and Civil Protection responded promptly after reports of individuals entering the sewer system.

The Mexican Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are investigating the potential smuggling of weapons and drugs through the tunnel, as well as identifying the criminal organization behind its construction and operation. Once the investigation concludes, the tunnel will be sealed off.

Instances of such tunnels being discovered are relatively rare. In December, authorities of both countries uncovered a secret 80-centimeter passage beneath the border of Sonora and Arizona, initially suspected to be a 'drug tunnel.' In 2022, a 1.6-kilometer-long underground railway tunnel for cocaine and crystal meth smuggling was found in San Diego, California.

Both Mexico and the U.S. stress the imperative of collaboration to disrupt transnational criminal organizations exploiting such tunnels. With Donald Trump assuming the U.S. presidency in less than a week, the Republican has voiced his firm stance on combating illegal immigration by prioritizing the deportation of criminal illegal immigrants.