Mexico’s army finds incomplete tunnel leading from Mexican customs facility toward US border

Mexican soldiers discover tunnel near US border

TIJUANA, Mexico — Mexican troops have found an unfinished tunnel apparently designed to burrow under the U.S. border starting from a Mexican customs facility.

Drug smugglers and human traffickers often use such tunnels. Mexico’s customs service has been beset by corruption for decades.

A statement issued Friday by Mexico’s army says soldiers found the 16-yard-long (15-meter) tunnel at Mexican federal customs in Tijuana. The army says the tunnel is 3 feet (1 meter) across but provides no other details.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Lauren Mack says the Mexican army has told U.S. officials that the tunnel was about 160 feet (50 meters) from reaching the border.