Cocaine tunnel discovered between Tijuana and San Diego: $45 million seized

A sophisticated 600-metre tunnel connecting Mexico to California was used to traffic more than $45 million worth of cocaine. Four traffickers have been arrested.

600-metre underground tunnel between Tijuana and San Diego dismantled

An underground passage measuring 600 metres, equipped with electricity, ventilation and a rail system, was used to move more than $45 million worth of cocaine between Mexico and California, according to laliberte.ch. The discovery was announced on Monday by the United States Department of Justice.

Dug at a depth of nearly 17 metres, the tunnel featured reinforced walls and a hydraulic lift for access. It connected the Mexican city of Tijuana to a warehouse located in the Otay Mesa neighbourhood in San Diego, on the border wall.

The investigation, conducted between December and May, resulted in the seizure of more than one tonne of cocaine and the arrest of four traffickers. Federal prosecutor Adam Gordon commented on the outcome of the case in the Department of Justice statement: "For these defendants, it was not the light at the end of the tunnel. It was flashing lights and sirens."

Justin De La Torre, patrol chief of the Border Patrol for the San Diego sector, added that "this investigation and this seizure strike a significant blow against the Jalisco New Generation cartel".

Authorities emphasised the particularly sophisticated nature of the construction. Videos published by the Department of Justice show staircases with well-defined steps between stone walls.

The use of underground tunnels for drug trafficking between the United States and Mexico is a long-standing practice of cartels. Since 1993, 99 such passages have been discovered in southern California according to the Department of Justice. The previous dismantling dated back to 2022.

Source: Google News MA — Crime (fr)