United States and Mexican authorities recently used drone technology to uncover an incomplete secret tunnel that authorities believe cartels would have used for human and drug smuggling operations near the southern border between the United States and Mexico in San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico, which is located to the south of Yuma, Arizona.
In a recent post on Facebook, the State Public Secretary of Sonora shared pictures of the alleged cartel smuggling tunnel and noted that the tunnel was discovered as part of a joint investigation by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Sonora State Police.
“In a joint operation between the Secretariat of Public Security, through the State Police with authorities of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the location of a tunnel between Sonora and Arizona in San Luis Rio Colorado was achieved thanks to the use of a drone,” Mexican authorities wrote in the Facebook post. “Implementing the Border Security Protocol and using technology critical points were identified to strengthen surveillance in the area.”
According to Arizona’s Family, Mexican authorities have confirmed that the tunnel recently discovered with the aid of drone technology was only in the early stages of construction and was likely intended as a “narco tunnel” for human and drug smuggling into the United States.
The Post Millennial reported that while officials have not yet confirmed which cartel was behind the tunnel operation, the 2024 Drug Threat Assessment by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) indicated that the Sinaloa Cartel has repeatedly used tunnels in its operations in the same region.
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According to The Post Millennial, the DEA has noted that the Sinaloa Cartel “exerts near-total control over the border region south of Arizona, giving the cartel easy access to the San Luis Rio Colorado and Nogales [ports of entry].”
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram has described the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels and their partners as “the heart of the synthetic drug crisis.”
“The suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and money launderers all play a role in the web of deliberate and calculated treachery orchestrated by these cartels,” Milgram said. “DEA will continue to use all available resources to target these networks and save American lives.”
The New York Post recently reported that a significant number of gang members, especially members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, are currently attempting to enter the United States prior to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration later this month, as Trump is expected to quickly increase security along the southern border.
