On Monday, US law enforcement officers announced the discovery of an amazing find. A massive drug smuggling tunnel was found under the US-Mexico border.
The tunnel connects Tijuana, Mexico with a warehouse in San Diego, California. It is so sophisticated, it contains rail tracks, ventilation systems and electricity. It measures around one-third of a mile and contains about six floors.
Police are investigating activity at the tunnel and seized about 2,000 pounds of cocaine, 165 pounds of methamphetamine and over three pounds of heroin. The drugs are worth about $25 million.
How was the tunnel discovered?
Officers did a stake-out of a house where drugs were stored, and began inspecting vehicles traveling to and from the house. They were able to find the connection to the warehouse. Police raided the warehouse and found the opening to the tunnel.
“In a span of a few hours, agents watched five vehicles come and go from the stash house and this warehouse. We allege that the defendants were driving into the garage and loading or dropping off cardboard boxes full of drugs to further the movement or distribution of drugs throughout the United States. The federal agents were watching the whole time,” US Attorney Randy Grossman told ABC affiliate KGTV.
Authorities arrested six Southern Californians, ages 31-55. They are charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine, a crime which could result in life imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1 million.
This is not the first tunnel that has been discovered. During the last 20 years, more than a dozen tunnels have been found in the Mexican border area in San Diego. The area is well fortified with Donald Trump’s “border wall.”
“There is no more light at the end of this narco-tunnel,” said Grossman. “We will take down every subterranean smuggling route we find to keep illicit drugs from reaching our streets and destroying our families and communities.”
Federal law says that the US side of tunnels to Mexico must be filled with concrete.
Drug smuggling tunnels have been found in California and Arizona, some in existence for about 30 years. They are allegedly associated with the Sinaloa drug cartel, the most dominant drug cartel in Mexico. The cartel is headed by El Mayo (Ismael Zambada Garcia), and the sons of the former head of the cartel, “El Chapo,” Joaquin Guzman, who was arrested and sentenced to life in 2019.
