U.S. Border Patrol agents have exposed a highly sophisticated smuggling tunnel stretching from a residential neighborhood in Tijuana, Mexico, to a commercial warehouse area in Otay Mesa, San Diego.
The tunnel, which extends more than 1,000 feet into the United States and nearly 3,000 feet in total length, was found during a routine inspection by the San Diego Sector Tunnel Team. Agents discovered the tunnel, which was not quite completed, beneath the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, one of the busiest commercial border crossings in the U.S.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) authorities say the tunnel featured advanced infrastructure, including lighting, ventilation, electrical wiring, and a rail system designed to traffic large amounts of narcotics and other contraband. A CBP press release said the tunnel could have even been used by “Foreign Terrorist Organizations.”
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While navigating the tunnel, agents encountered multiple makeshift obstructions, hastily assembled in an apparent attempt to delay law enforcement and hide the tunnel’s origin. But officials were still able to successfully map the passage, which measured 42 inches high, 28 inches wide, and reached a depth of about 50 feet underground.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Mexican law enforcement worked together to find the tunnel’s entry point, located inside a residence in the Nueva Tijuana neighborhood. According to officials, the entrance had been recently concealed under freshly laid tile. Mexican authorities served a warrant at the site and are now involved in the ongoing investigation.
Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey D. Stalnaker praised the Tunnel Team’s work, stating, “Disruption of narcotics smuggling tunnels is critical to protecting American lives. I’m grateful for the exceptional work of the Tunnel Team agents who placed themselves in danger, as well as the cooperation of our Mexican law enforcement partners.”
The tunnel is now scheduled for permanent closure. Contractors will fill the passage with thousands of gallons of concrete to ensure it can no longer be used by smugglers or criminal organizations. Israel has begun a similar process of pumping concrete into tunnels dug beneath Gaza by the Hamas terrorist organization.
Since 1993, more than 95 cross-border tunnels have been discovered and dismantled in the San Diego area alone.
CBN News has reported on similar discoveries in the past: Massive Cross-Border ‘Sophisticated’ Major Drug Tunnel Found Linking Tijuana to San Diego
CBP is vowing to stay vigilant in the fight against dangerous drug cartels, human traffickers, and terrorist groups that would try to breach the border. In San Diego, they’re urging the public to report any suspicious activity to the local Border Patrol at (619) 498-9900.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the nation’s largest law enforcement agency, staffed by a team of 65,000+ men and women.
MORE: Border Security Improvement Called ‘Historic’ and ‘Fastest in US History’
