On Monday, American border authorities announced that they had discovered a “fully operational” drug tunnel that connected the city of San Diego, California to Tijuana, Mexico.
Fox News reports that that 1,700-foot long tunnel led to an industrial warehouse in San Diego, and included a “sophisticated” structure that was most likely used to transport drugs such as heroin, meth, and fentanyl. The warehouse is located near the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) port of entry in Otay Mesa.
“It’s estimated to be about 1,744 feet long, 61 feet deep, with a diameter of about 4 feet at its widest point,” said Randy Grossman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California. “It has reinforced walls, a rail system, and electricity for ventilation.”
When the tunnel was discovered, border authorities also seized over $25 million worth of drugs, including over 1,700 pounds of cocaine, 165 pounds of meth, and 3.5 pounds of heroin. Six Californians were arrested and charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine in connection to the tunnel’s discovery. The tunnel’s existence was uncovered while authorities were conducting a drug sweep of nearby homes before checking the warehouse, where they found the tunnel.
This tunnel is one out of at least 15 of its kind that have been discovered crossing the border since 2006. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will be in charge of investigating the origins of the tunnel, including possible connections to a particular cartel.
In compliance with federal law, authorities will seal the tunnel with concrete once sufficient evidence has been collected.