Unfinished cross-border tunnel discovered

Find is the second in as many days
By Anna Cearley
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
May 17, 2006

U.S. authorities yesterday found what they believe was an incomplete cross-border tunnel, about 75 yards from a tunnel discovered Monday.

Unlike the tunnel found earlier this week, this one had no detectable exit in the United States. It extended about 10 feet north from the border fence, to the west of the tunnel found Monday, and never surfaced, said Lauren Mack, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

U.S. authorities didn't enter the primitive dirt tunnel because it appeared to be unstable, so they weren't able to determine where it may have gone on the Mexican side, Mack said.

However, the tunnel was adjacent to Mexican customs property, just like the tunnel found Monday, which is an area littered with rusting pipes, old cars, trucks and trash.

Mexican authorities, who used a backhoe to excavate the cross-border tunnel found Monday, decided against doing the same with the latest tunnel. A customs official who wouldn't give his name said yesterday that Mexican authorities “came here and didn't find anything.”