Border Patrol Shuts Down Half-Mile Drug Tunnel Tijuana, San Diego

U.S. Border Patrol agents, in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security and Mexican law enforcement, have shut down a nearly 3,000-foot-long, highly sophisticated drug smuggling tunnel connecting Tijuana, Mexico, to San Diego, California. Discovered in April while under construction, the tunnel extended over 1,000 feet into the U.S. and was equipped with electrical wiring, lighting, ventilation, and a rail track system designed to transport large quantities of contraband at a depth of approximately 50 feet. The tunnel's entrance was found hidden beneath recently placed tiles in a home in Tijuana's Nueva Tijuana neighborhood, linking to a commercial warehouse in San Diego County, with Mexican authorities executing a search warrant citing crimes against national health. Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey D. Stalnaker emphasized the critical importance of disrupting such tunnels to protect American lives, noting the ongoing threat posed by foreign terrorist organizations using underground routes. As part of the investigation, six individuals have been charged with conspiring to distribute over 1,750 pounds of cocaine, and methamphetamine was seized inside the tunnel. This tunnel is one of nearly 100 illicit tunnels discovered in the San Diego area since 1993, underscoring persistent challenges in securing the southern border.