Eight suspects were taken into custody on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border along with 20 tons of marijuana seized following the discovery of a cross-border passageway even more sophisticated than a similar tunnel uncovered in the area less than three weeks ago.
The nearly half-mile long passageway had two U.S. entrances located in warehouses about 800 feet apart in the Otay Mesa industrial complex in southern San Diego. The tunnel, which reached an estimated depth of 90 feet, emerged in Tijuana, Mexico, inside a stucco residence outfitted with a garage large enough to accommodate deliveries by tractor trailer trucks. Inside, the tunnel’s walls were fortified with wood and cinderblock supports and the passageway was equipped with advanced rail, electrical and ventilation systems..
The tunnel was located Thursday morning after Task Force agents conducting surveillance in the Otay Mesa area observed suspicious activity involving a tractor trailer truck parked at a warehouse in the 10000 block of Marconi Drive where one of the tunnel’s entrances was later found. After the truck left the site, agents kept it under surveillance, alerting CBP Border Patrol as it approached the traffic checkpoint in Temecula. There, Border Patrol agents stopped the vehicle and a search of the truck’s trailer revealed more than 27,600 pounds of marijuana. The vehicle’s driver was taken into custody and will be prosecuted on federal drug smuggling charges.
