Authorities Uncover Cross-Border Drug Tunnel Between Tijuana and San Diego, Seize Over a Ton of Cocaine

Law enforcement authorities uncovered a sophisticated cross-border tunnel between Tijuana and San Diego that was used to smuggle drugs into the United States, leading to the seizure of more than a ton of cocaine and charges against four men. The tunnel, which was about 1,900 feet long, extended from a fake storefront in San Diego beneath the U.S.-Mexico border into Tijuana, and was equipped with a rail system, lighting and ventilation.

The passageway was discovered under a 'Buy 4 Less' store in Otay Mesa, a San Diego County neighborhood, and was 55 feet deep with reinforced walls, a rail system, electricity and a sophisticated hydraulic lift. Homeland Security investigators began focusing on the store in December after observing a group of new 'employees' regularly entering and leaving with large numbers of suitcases, prosecutors said.

Mexican authorities, meanwhile, found the tunnel's entrance on their side while executing a search warrant at a home in the Nueva Tijuana neighborhood. They reported finding ammunition, suspected methamphetamine and marijuana, as well as cellphones and documents, and described an electronic sliding mechanism that allowed movement in both directions between Mexico and the United States. The property appeared to function as a storage and logistics center for trafficking operations.

In the U.S., investigators confiscated 851 packages from three vehicles with a combined weight of more than a ton; a field test of the substance was positive for cocaine. The drugs had a street value of $45 million, authorities said. Officials said some of the cocaine was likely destined for the Midwest and the Chicago area.

Four men were charged with conspiracy to use a cross-border tunnel, conspiracy to import controlled substances and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Each count carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $10-million fine. The tunnel is believed to have been operated by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, authorities said.

'The discovery and dismantlement of this sophisticated cross-border tunnel, along with the seizure of more than a ton of cocaine, underscore the commitment and collaboration of Homeland Security Investigations,' said the acting special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego. A former DEA deputy special agent in charge said 'the tunnel discovery and the massive drug seizure is an impressive and crushing blow to cartel's drug trade,' adding that the designation of cartels as narcoterrorist organizations has been a game changer in surveillance and intelligence sharing.

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California said, 'Cocaine is now the lifeblood of the cartels. And what you see here today is a cardiac arrest for their system.'

There have been 99 tunnels intercepted and dismantled in San Diego, according to U.S. Border Patrol. In 2015, another Tijuana-to-San Diego tunnel was discovered and 12 tons of marijuana were seized.

Mexico's Federal Attorney General's Office said the operation 'represents a direct blow to the operations, transportation routes, and logistics networks used for drug trafficking.' The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed agents were conducting a criminal enforcement operation involving a cross-border subterranean tunnel in Otay Mesa.