Authorities in the United States revealed the finding of a massive drug smuggling tunnel from Mexico to a warehouse in an industrial region in the United States on Monday.
Authorities stated the hidden corridor from Tijuana to San Diego included train and ventilation systems, power, and reinforced walls. It was discovered near the Otay Mesa border crossing in San Diego, in a region where more than a dozen other complex tunnels have been uncovered in the previous two decades.
Authorities in the United States claimed they didn’t know how long the tunnel had been open or how much narcotics had passed through unnoticed. In conjunction with the investigation, they confiscated 1,762 pounds of cocaine, 165 pounds of meth, and 3.5 pounds of heroin.
Six individuals, ranging in age from 31 to 55, have been charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. All of them live in Southern California.
The tunnel is located in one of the border’s most heavily protected sections, demonstrating the limits of border fortifications. While walls are useful against small, crudely made tunnels known as gopher holes, they are no match for more complex subterranean pathways.
The most recent route, discovered on Friday, was a third of a mile long and led to Tijuana. It was roughly six storeys deep and 4 feet in diameter.
The kind of narcotics confiscated might indicate a change away from the multi-ton shipments of marijuana that were frequently discovered before to California’s recreational marijuana legalization in 2019.
Because of their tiny size and lack of odor, hard narcotics such as heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl are often transported via legitimate border crossings from Mexico. Smugglers, on the other hand, benefit from tunnels since they can transport large goods quickly.
