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A sophisticated tunnel that runs hundreds of metres under the U.S.-Mexico border and pops up in a California retail store was used to smuggle more than $45 million worth of cocaine, U.S. officials say.
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The subterranean passageway, which stretches from the Mexican city of Tijuana to an outlet in the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, is estimated to be 590 metres long, 16.8 metres deep and up to 1.4 metres in height.
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U.S. investigators say it has reinforced walls, rail and ventilation systems, an electricity supply, and was accessed using a hydraulic lift.
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Video released by the U.S. Justice Department shows apparently well-made concrete steps leading into the tunnel, which appears to be hewn from rock and with a concrete floor.
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Homeland Security federal drug investigators spent months watching the comings and going of people around a “Buy 4 Less” retail store on the U.S. side of the border.
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When they pounced, they found more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine that they believe had been transported through the tunnel and loaded onto trucks.
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“Criminal organizations continue to look for ways to exploit our border, but they underestimate the determination of the men and women protecting it,” said Justin De La Torre, chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol’s San Diego sector.
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“This tunnel’s discovery is a testament to our strong partnerships and the unwavering commitment of law enforcement on both sides of the border.”
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Four people — two from San Diego and two from Mexico — have been charged in connection with the alleged importation of drugs.
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The Justice Department says 99 subterranean passages have been discovered in the Southern District of California since 1993.
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Of those, 28 were considered sophisticated. The last time an operational tunnel was discovered in the area was in 2022.
