6 charged after sophisticated tunnel found

A federal drug investigation resulted in the discovery of a sophisticated cross-border tunnel and charges against six people for conspiring to distribute 1,762 pounds of cocaine. The tunnel stretched from Tijuana, Mexico to a warehouse in Otay Mesa just east of the Port of Entry. It is about 1,744 feet long, 61 feet deep and 4 feet in diameter, with reinforced walls, a rail system, electricity and a ventilation system. In addition to 1,762 pounds of cocaine, cops seized 164 pounds of meth and 3.5 pounds of heroin.

90 tunnels have been discovered in the Southern District of California since 1993. Of those, 27 were considered sophisticated. The last tunnel discovered in the Southern District of California was in March 2020.