drug smuggling tunnel broke ground into a sewage line in Nogales

drug smuggling tunnel broke ground into a sewage line in Nogales, Arizona causing a sewer backup on the United States side of the border.

Agents with the U.S. Border Patrol found the tunnel around 11 a.m. Monday. Officials notified the public utility director shortly after because the crew digging the tunnel had hit a 30 inch sewage line.

Up to 9.9 million gallons of raw sewage flows through the line per day. Flavio Gonzales, Utility Director with the City of Nogales said Monday afternoon that they were on the Mexico side of the border attempting to plug the line so sewage doesn't flow through the streets of Nogales.

The break occurred near the international border with Mexico. At least 8-10 employees with heavy equipment are working to fix the break. Crews from the Mexico public utilities service are also assisting.

Repair crews have managed to lighten the flow but in order to assess the situation they need to stop the flow of sewage completely.

Officials from the International Boundary and Water Commission are monitoring the situation.