SAN DIEGO – Federal authorities on Monday announced the discovery of a sophisticated drug smuggling tunnel from Mexico to a warehouse in an industrial area in the U.S. The major tunnel ran the length of about six football fields, officials said.
The subterranean secret passage discovered on Friday ran from Tijuana to San Diego. It featured rail and ventilation systems, electricity and reinforced walls, authorities said.
The tunnel was discovered near San Diego’s Otay Mesa border crossing. The area has hosted more than a dozen other sophisticated tunnels in the last two decades, KTLA reported.
U.S. authorities said it was unclear how long the tunnel had been operating. However, during the course of the investigation, authorities seized 1,762 pounds (799 kg) of cocaine, 165 pounds (75 kg) of meth and 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) of heroin.
Six people, ages 31 to 55, were charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine. All are Southern California residents, but the report did not specify citizenship.
The tunnel exited the United States in a warehouse called “Amistad Park” on a street that is busy with big rigs by day, but quiet at night.
After conducting surveillance out of a residence that was recently used to stash narcotics, officials began making investigative stops of vehicles that had been there or at a warehouse near the border. The investigation uncovered boxes full of cocaine, according to a federal criminal complaint filed in San Diego.
Hence, investigators raided various properties connected to the investigation. Although narcotics were not located at the warehouse, investigators discovered a tunnel opening carved into the cement floor, federal prosecutors said.
Authorities said the tunnel is in one of the most fortified stretches of the border. Smaller, less sophisticated tunnels are referred to as “gopher holes.”
Friday’s tunnel discovery was in contrast to rudimentary passages. It ran one-third of a mile (532 m) to Tijuana. It was 4 feet (1.2 m) in diameter and about six stories deep, KTLA reported.
Tunnels obviously give smugglers an advantage of being able to carry huge loads at lightning speed without fear of being encountered by law enforcement personnel.
Investigators have discovered about 15 sophisticated tunnels on California’s border with Mexico since 2006.
On Monday, armed personnel watched over a small shaft with a ladder that descended into the tunnel.
Federal law requires U.S. authorities to fill the American side of tunnels with concrete after they are found.
