U.S. Officials Discover Drug-Smuggling Tunnel Connecting California and Mexico

U.S. officials on Monday announced the discovery of another drug-smuggling tunnel that stretches from Mexico to the state of California.

According to Associated Press, the said drug smuggling tunnel specifically connects the state of Tijuana in Mexico and San Diego, California. The said newly discovered passage was reportedly discovered by the U.S. authorities on Friday.

The length of the said tunnel is one-third of a mile or 532 meters to Tijuana. The diameter of the passage was 1.2 meters and is located about six stories deep into the ground.

The latest secret passage also features a ventilation system, electricity, and reinforced walls.

"There is no more light at the end of this narco-tunnel... We will take down every subterranean smuggling route we find to keep illicit drugs from reaching our streets and destroying our families and communities," U.S. Attorney for Southern District of California Randy Grossman said.

The drug-smuggling tunnel was reportedly located near San Diego's Otay Mesa border crossing. Reports claimed that this area was also the site where dozen other sophisticated tunnels have been found in the last two decades.

The tunnel reportedly exited in a nondescript warehouse named Amistad Park.

U.S. authorities declined to link the latest discovered tunnel to any drug cartel.

U.S. Authorities Seize Drugs in Connection to the Tunnel's Investigation

It was still unclear how long the tunnel had been operating and how many drugs were smuggled using it. However, AP noted that the U.S. authorities seized 1,762 pounds of cocaine, 165 pounds of meth, and 3.5 pounds of heroin.

The seizure of drugs came after officials stopped vehicles that had been in the warehouse near the border.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) around 340,000 pounds of drugs were seized by the authorities in the Fiscal Year 2022. The biggest confiscation occurred in October last year, in which around 82,000 pounds of drugs were discovered.

Other Drug Tunnels Discovered by the U.S. Authorities

The drug-smuggling tunnel in Amistad Park was not the only secret passage that was discovered in California.

In January 2020, Federal agents also discovered a 4,309-foot tunnel that also stretched from Tijuana, Mexico to San Diego California, according to CNN.

The said tunnel discovered two years ago was reportedly located 250 feet south of the border. It is also equipped with ventilation, electricity, and an extensive rail and cart system. CBP also confirmed that the said tunnel was also equipped with elevators on each of the entrances.

U.S. Authorities have found at least 15 sophisticated tunnels on California's border with Mexico since 2006.

Many of those tunnels were reportedly located in California's San Diego Otay Mesa Industrial Area.

Hard drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, are typically smuggled through the border crossing. However, reports claimed that drug tunnels allow groups to smuggle huge loads of substances faster.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

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