Sophisticated Underground Tunnel Found at US-Mexico Border, Smuggling $45M in Cocaine

US officials said investigators have discovered a secret tunnel used to smuggle cocaine worth more than $45 million (approximately NT$1.4 billion). The sophisticated passageway, hundreds of meters long, crosses the US-Mexico border and leads to a retail store in California.

According to AFP, the underground passage is about 16.8 meters deep, approximately 590 meters long, and 1.4 meters high, stretching from Tijuana, Mexico, to a store at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego, California.

US investigators said the tunnel is equipped with rails, a ventilation system, electrical infrastructure, and reinforced walls, with a hydraulic lift for entry and exit.

Video released by the US Department of Justice shows the tunnel seemingly carved into rock, with well-constructed concrete stairs at the entrance and a concrete floor.

Homeland Security Investigations agents spent months monitoring activity around a retail store called Buy 4 Less near the US border.

During a raid, law enforcement seized over 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, believed to have been transported through the tunnel.

US Border Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre said, "Criminal organizations continue to try to exploit our border, but they underestimate our resolve to protect it."

He added, "This tunnel is a testament to our strong partnership and the unwavering commitment of law enforcement agencies in both countries."

Four people have been indicted on drug smuggling charges, including two San Diego residents and two Mexican nationals.

The US Department of Justice noted that since 1993, authorities have discovered 99 underground passages in the Southern District of California, 28 of which were sophisticated. The last operational tunnel found in this area was in 2022.