Underground Drug Tunnel from Mexico Discovered Inside California Store

Law enforcement uncovered a smuggling passage beneath a San Diego electronics shop, leading nearly 2,000 feet into Mexico and used to move cocaine into the United States.

Underground Drug Tunnel from Mexico Discovered Inside California Store

Federal and local authorities in Southern California have uncovered a sophisticated subterranean passageway used to transport narcotics from Mexico into the United States, hidden beneath a retail storefront in San Diego.

Investigators found the tunnel inside a business called "Buy 4 Less," an electronics shop located in the Otay Mesa neighborhood. The underground corridor stretched roughly 600 meters — nearly 2,000 feet — and emerged in Tijuana, Mexico. The structure descended approximately 17 meters deep and featured reinforced walls, electric lighting, and a ventilation system, according to the New York Post.

The discovery came after law enforcement noticed unusually low foot traffic at the store. Officers then observed individuals loading suspicious items into vehicles, which prompted them to obtain a search warrant. During the raid, authorities found the tunnel entrance concealed beneath the shop's floor, accessible through a complex hydraulic lift.

Inside the store and tunnel, police seized approximately 1,030 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of $45 million, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California reported.

Four individuals — two American citizens and two Mexican nationals believed to be affiliated with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel — face federal charges of drug trafficking. If convicted, they could receive life imprisonment and fines of up to $10 million.

The criminal organization known as CJNG is considered by Mexican authorities to be one of the most powerful drug cartels currently operating.

Since 1993, authorities have discovered 99 smuggling tunnels in Southern California used by cartels to move drugs across the border. The last operational tunnel was found in 2022.

Source: Alfa.lt

Source: Google News LT — Crime (lt)