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US Border Patrol agents recently discovered a sophisticated drug smuggling tunnel connecting Mexico and California. This nearly 3,000 foot tunnel began in Tijuana and led to a commercial warehouse in Otay Mesa in California. Agents report that the tunnel was actively under construction at the time of the discovery with over 1,000 feet extending into U.S. territory.
Massive Drug Smuggling Tunnel Operation
The San Diego Sector Tunnel Team discovered the Mexico-US drug tunnel which was apparently to be used for trafficking narcotics and other drugs. It ran beneath the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and was equipped with lighting and ventilation as well as electrical wiring and a track system designed to transport large quantities of drugs.
Art Del Cueto is the vice president of the U.S. Border Patrol Council. Del Cueto stated this was likely orchestrated by Mexican drug cartels.
The entrance of the cartel drug tunnel was hidden under freshly laid tile in a Nueva Tijuana residence. It was located through collaboration with Homeland Security Investigations and Mexican authorities during the execution of a search warrant.
Agents faced makeshift barricades intended to slow their progress inside the residence. This highlights the cunning efforts made by the tunnel workers to evade detection. The tunnel measured 42 inches high and 28 inches wide and reached 50 feet underground at its deepest point.
Contractors will pour thousands of gallons of concrete to seal the tunnel in an effort to prevent usage by foreign terrorist organizations. This is a common practice as over 95 tunnels have been decommissioned in the area since 1993.
Protecting American Lives
Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey D. Stalnaker asserts that the “disruption of narcotics smuggling tunnels is critical to protecting American lives.” He went on to praise the tunnel team’s bravery and the cooperation between Mexico and the United States.
The discovery of the drug smuggling tunnel underscores the persistent challenge of cartel driven smuggling. A past operation in 2020 resulted in another tunnel seizure yielding massive drug hauls.
The February 2025 arrests of smugglers Brian Alan Torres Gonzalez and Soledad Morales Nava in Juarez show the collaborative efforts and power of multinational action in dismantling criminal networks.
These efforts are made to protect communities from drugs and violence associated with the cartels and their nonstop operations in their efforts to smuggle addictive substances and humans into the United States.
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