Cartel Smugglers Use Hidden Tunnels and Drainage Systems to Bypass Border Patrol

Sophisticated Smuggling Operations

• ⚠️ Smugglers are increasingly using sophisticated methods, including hidden tunnels, to facilitate illegal entries along the southern border.
• tunnels are being built out as a broader network of illegal entries, adapting to increased scrutiny.

Underground and Drainage System Tactics

• ⛏️ Agents discovered a makeshift tunnel along the Rio Grande, which smugglers had begun to construct with installed pipes before it was located and sealed.
• 🚧 A drainage system was also repurposed by smugglers, leading Border Patrol to install a cage to block access.
• 🔍 Fresh cuts along the drainage system and nearby tunnels indicate smugglers are actively testing weak points to bypass agents.

Tunnel Construction and Evasion

• 🧱 Some uncovered tunnels featured 2x4s reinforcing the walls and even wooden doors, demonstrating significant construction effort.
• 🌃 Smugglers often attempt to build these tunnels in the middle of the night to avoid detection.
• 🗺️ This marks a shift, with tunnels previously only seen on the Mexican side now appearing on the US banks of the Rio Grande.

Surveillance and Evolving Tactics

• 🏠 Cartel operatives and scouts use homes and buildings along the riverbank as vantage points to monitor Border Patrol movements.
• 👁️ A notable tactic involves a one-way mirror on the second floor of a building, allowing scouts to observe agents undetected.
• 🗣️ This surveillance enables smugglers to communicate the exact locations of weak points for smuggling groups.

Shifting Smuggling Strategies

• 🛶 Beyond tunnels, smugglers continue to use rafts to bring migrants across the river, with evidence of recent use found at designated landing areas.
• 🏃‍♂️ A key difference from previous administrations is the shift from migrants wanting to be processed to smugglers now aiming to completely evade authorities by moving smaller groups.
• 🎯 This necessitates a greater focus and shift in strategy for authorities under the current administration.