Mexican national pleads guilty to operating cartel smuggling tunnel beneath Texas-Mexico border

By
FOX Local
Published September 15, 2026 12:29 PM CDT

Photo of tunnel discovered between Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas

The Brief

    • A 29-year-old Mexican national pleaded guilty in El Paso for his role in a $30,000-per-person human smuggling ring using an underground tunnel.
    • Federal authorities linked the sophisticated tunnel, running between Ciudad Juárez and El Paso, to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).
    • The defendant faces up to 10 years in federal prison, though his sentencing date has not yet been set.

EL PASO, Texas - A Mexican national pleaded guilty in federal court to charges connected to a cross-border smuggling operation that utilized a sophisticated underground tunnel between Mexico and Texas.

Underground tunnel between Mexico and Texas

What we know:

Luis Carlos Davalos-Lopez, 29, entered a guilty plea in El Paso to one count of conspiracy to bring aliens into the United States.

According to court documents, federal law enforcement first found the sophisticated tunnel running between Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso in January 2025. Intercepted communications revealed that Davalos-Lopez and his co-conspirators charged migrants upwards of $30,000 to use the tunnel for unlawful entry.

Investigators noted the tunnel was linked to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) to facilitate cross-border smuggling of humans, drugs, and firearms. Davalos-Lopez was indicted in April 2025 and subsequently transferred to the United States by the Government of Mexico under its National Security Law.

Co-defendants in the broader operation have also entered guilty pleas, including Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez for firearms trafficking supporting CJNG, and Gustavo Castro-Medina for financial wire transfers used to purchase firearms.

What they're saying:

"Criminals who traffic human beings and firearms are exactly the individuals ATF works every day to stop," said ATF Director Rob Cekada. "Our focus is squarely on violent offenders and the criminal networks that threaten public safety. If you fuel cartel violence or exploit our communities, we will find you and hold you accountable."

What's next:

A sentencing date for Davalos-Lopez has not yet been set. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, ATF, DEA, and Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol and international authorities, under the umbrella of Joint Task Force Alpha and the Homeland Security Task Force initiative.

The Source: Information in this article is from the U.S. Office of Public Affairs.

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