U.S. Border Patrol Shuts Down Sophisticated Drug Tunnel from Mexico to California

U.S. Border Patrol agents have shut down a highly sophisticated drug-smuggling tunnel stretching nearly 3,000 feet from Tijuana, Mexico, into Otay Mesa, California. Discovered in April, the tunnel began beneath a home in Tijuana and ended near a warehouse in southern San Diego County. Though still under construction, officials said the tunnel was already highly developed.

Authorities reported the passage was equipped with lighting, ventilation, electrical wiring, and a rail system designed to transport drugs. Measuring approximately 42 inches in height and 28 inches in width, the tunnel extended about 50 feet underground. Officials believe the Sinaloa Cartel—once headed by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán—is responsible for the operation. Mexican police found the tunnel entrance hidden under newly installed tile flooring in a home in the Nueva Tijuana neighborhood.

Jeffrey Stalnaker, acting chief patrol agent in San Diego, praised the joint U.S.-Mexico effort, stating, “Stopping drug tunnels like this is vital to keeping Americans safe.” More than 95 tunnels have been discovered in the San Diego area since 1993. Officials confirmed that this latest tunnel will be filled with concrete to prevent future use.

Earlier this year, a similar tunnel was found in El Paso, Texas, originating from Ciudad Juárez. That tunnel had already facilitated human smuggling, with some migrants paying up to $20,000 to enter the U.S. It was also equipped with lighting, ventilation, and structural reinforcements.

These tunnel discoveries come amid renewed political momentum for tougher immigration enforcement. Incoming border czar Thomas Homan, under former President Donald Trump, has pledged a large-scale deportation campaign, promising “shock and awe” efforts to secure the border and disrupt cartel operations.