Cross-Border Cocaine Tunnel Uncovered in San Diego Metro, $45M Bust
U.S. authorities dismantled a sophisticated 2,000-foot cross-border tunnel beneath a Buy 4 Less warehouse near Otay Mesa, linking San Diego to Tijuana. The operation recovered more than 2,269 pounds of cocaine (over a ton) and led to four arrests. The tunnel, up to 55 feet deep, included electricity, ventilation, reinforced walls and a rail system, with about 1,000 feet on the U.S. side and 800+ feet in Mexico. The suspects face drug-distribution charges and potential life sentences; the investigation cited the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and described the tunnel as a major enforcement blow.