Secret tunnel found on U.S.-Mexico border to be sealed off

A secret tunnel discovered last week on the U.S.-Mexico border will be sealed by Mexican authorities, an army official in Ciudad Juarez said Saturday.

The tunnel, discovered on Jan. 10, connects the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez with the Texas city of El Paso. On the Mexican side, it measures about 1,000 feet and is equipped with lighting, ventilation and reinforced to prevent collapses, officials said.

Hidden in a storm sewer system operating between both cities, its access is about 6 feet high and 4 feet wide, making for easy passage of people or contraband, said General Jose Lemus, commander of Ciudad Juarez's military garrison, which is guarding the tunnel.