U.S. Border Patrol agents recently uncovered and shut down a nearly 3,000-foot-long drug smuggling tunnel beneath the U.S.-Mexico border. Discovered in early April while still under construction, the tunnel connected Tijuana, Mexico, to San Diego, California, running beneath the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. It was intended to surface near or inside a commercial warehouse in San Diego. Authorities described the tunnel as “highly sophisticated,” measuring 2,918 feet long and about 50 feet deep. It was 42 inches high and 28 inches wide, equipped with lighting, electrical wiring, ventilation, and a rail system to transport large quantities of contraband efficiently. The entrance was found inside a residence in Tijuana’s Nueva Tijuana neighborhood, concealed beneath recently laid tile.
Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and Mexican officials collaborated on the discovery. U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to fill the tunnel with thousands of gallons of concrete to prevent its use by foreign terrorist organizations. Jeffrey D. Stalnaker, acting chief patrol agent of the San Diego Sector, emphasized the importance of disrupting these tunnels to protect American lives, praising the Tunnel Team and Mexican partners for their efforts. Since 1993, over 95 such tunnels have been discovered and closed along the border. This ongoing threat highlights the challenges of securing the border against sophisticated smuggling operations. The question of deporting illegal immigrants continues to be part of the broader debate on border security and immigration policy.
