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Six people charged after massive narcotics tunnel the length of six football fields uncovered – Running between San Diego warehouse and Tijuana home: 1,799 kg of cocaine and 164 kg of meth recovered

&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"wpcnt">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"wpa">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<span class&equals;"wpa-about">Advertisements<&sol;span>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<div class&equals;"u top&lowbar;amp">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<amp-ad width&equals;"300" height&equals;"265"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; type&equals;"pubmine"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; data-siteid&equals;"109460728"&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab; data-section&equals;"1">&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;amp-ad>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div>&NewLine;&Tab;&Tab;<&sol;div>&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"has-text-color wp-block-heading" style&equals;"color&colon;&num;3a3030&semi;font-size&colon;14px"><strong><strong>Mexico and U&period;S&period; <&sol;strong>authorities discovered drug smuggling tunnel with rail system on US-Mexico border<&sol;strong><&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"has-text-color wp-block-heading" style&equals;"color&colon;&num;3a3030&semi;font-size&colon;14px"><strong>Ventilated underground passage runs the length of six football fields and also contains reinforced walls and electricity supply <&sol;strong><&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"has-text-color wp-block-heading" style&equals;"color&colon;&num;3a3030&semi;font-size&colon;14px"><strong>The nearly 1&comma;800-foot tunnel used to smuggle drugs from a home in Tijuana&comma; Mexico&comma; into a warehouse in the U&period;S&period; <&sol;strong><&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"has-text-color wp-block-heading" style&equals;"color&colon;&num;3a3030&semi;font-size&colon;14px"><strong>Tunnel&&num;8217&semi;s exit was<strong> connected to warehouse 300 feet north of the U&period;S&period;-Mexico border&nbsp&semi;<strong>at Otay Mesa south of San Diego close to the port of entry<&sol;strong><&sol;strong><&sol;strong><&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"has-text-color wp-block-heading" style&equals;"color&colon;&num;3a3030&semi;font-size&colon;14px"><strong>Tunnel is estimated to be about 1&comma;744 feet long&comma; 61 feet deep and 4-feet in diameter&comma; with reinforced walls&comma; a rail system&comma; electricity and a ventilation system <&sol;strong><&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"has-text-color wp-block-heading" style&equals;"color&colon;&num;3a3030&semi;font-size&colon;14px"><strong>Six people&comma; ages 31 to 35&comma; have been indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine&comma; methamphetamine and heroin in the US in connection with tunnel&&num;8217&semi;s discovery <&sol;strong><&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"has-text-color wp-block-heading" style&equals;"color&colon;&num;3a3030&semi;font-size&colon;14px"><strong>About 799kg of cocaine&comma; 75 kg of meth and 3&period;5 pounds of heroin were seized from the warehouse&comma; where an exit point was carved out of the floor&nbsp&semi;<&sol;strong><&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<h2 class&equals;"has-text-color wp-block-heading" style&equals;"color&colon;&num;3a3030&semi;font-size&colon;14px"><strong>The drug haul has an estimated street value of &dollar;25 million<&sol;strong><br><&sol;h2>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2022&sol;05&sol;Narco-tunnell-across-US-border-between-San-Diego-and-Tijuana-1&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" class&equals;"wp-image-407602" width&equals;"835" height&equals;"466"&sol;><figcaption><strong>This huge narcotics smuggling tunnel was discovered near California&&num;8217&semi;s San Diego&&num;8217&semi;s Otay Mesa border crossing in an area where more than a dozen other sophisticated tunnels have been found in the last two decades<&sol;strong><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>A major drug smuggling tunnel about the length of a six football fields has been found by US authorities running from Mexico&nbsp&semi;to a warehouse in an industrial area in San Diego&period; <br>The secret passage from Tijuana to San Diego featured subterranean rail and ventilation systems&comma; electricity and reinforced walls&comma; authorities said&period; <br>The immigration busting cross-border tunnel was discovered near San Diego&comma; California&period; <br>Stills from law enforcement footage showed the inside of the cross-border tunnel between Mexico and the U&period;S&period; after the announcement of the discovery of subterranean tunnel inside a warehouse in San Diego&period;<br>It was discovered near the Otay Mesa border crossing in an area where more than a dozen other sophisticated tunnels have been found in the last two decades <&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<iframe width&equals;"560" height&equals;"315" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;youtube&period;com&sol;embed&sol;TkXK0t5Hsic" title&equals;"YouTube video player" frameborder&equals;"0" allow&equals;"accelerometer&semi; autoplay&semi; clipboard-write&semi; encrypted-media&semi; gyroscope&semi; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen&equals;""><&sol;iframe>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p class&equals;"has-small-font-size"><strong>Hidden in plain sight&colon; The tunnel was connected to warehouse 300 feet north of the U&period;S&period;-Mexico border&comma; in an unremarkable warehouse named &&num;8216&semi;Amistad Park&&num;8217&semi; on a street that is busy with large semitrailers during the day but quiet at night&period; <&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>The massive tunnel was discovered near San Diego&&num;8217&semi;s Otay Mesa border crossing in an area where more than a dozen other sophisticated tunnels have been found in the last two decades&period; Measuring 1&comma;744 feet in length and is 61 feet deep&comma; Homeland Security agents said on Monday&period; The illegal passageway running between Tijuana&comma; Mexico and the US is estimated to be about 4 feet in diameter&comma; has reinforced walls&comma; a rail system&comma; electricity and a ventilation system<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2022&sol;05&sol;Armed-agent-guards-opening-of-San-Diego-cross-border-narco-tunnel-1&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" class&equals;"wp-image-407605" width&equals;"840" height&equals;"611"&sol;><figcaption><strong>Armed law enforcement officers stands guard over the opening of the cross-border tunnel found inside a San Diego warehouse on Monday<&sol;strong><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2022&sol;05&sol;Mexican-soldier-guards-house-in-Tijuana-marking-termination-of-cross-border-tunnel-between-Mexico-and-the-U&period;S&period;-1&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" class&equals;"wp-image-407608" width&equals;"842" height&equals;"534"&sol;><figcaption><strong>Soldiers were seen guarding the house where the cross-border narco tunnel between Mexico and the U&period;S&period; terminates in Tijuana&comma; Mexico&comma;<&sol;strong><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Agents were conducting surveillance on a &&num;8216&semi;known drug stash house&&num;8217&semi; in National City&comma;&nbsp&semi; south of Downtown San Diego&period;&nbsp&semi;<br>U&period;S&period; authorities said it was unknown how long the tunnel had been operating and what amount of drugs&comma; if any&comma; got through undetected&period; They seized 799 kg of cocaine&comma; 75 kg of meth and 3&period;5 pounds of heroin in connection with the investigation&period; <br>Six people&comma; ages 31 to 55&comma; were charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine&period; All are Southern California residents and have pled not guilty&period; <br>The tunnel is in one of the most fortified stretches of the border&comma; illustrating the limitations of border walls&period;&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2022&sol;05&sol;Armed-agent-guards-opening-of-San-Diego-cross-border-narco-tunnel-2&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" class&equals;"wp-image-407612" width&equals;"836" height&equals;"617"&sol;><figcaption><strong>The tunnel ran the length of six football fields on U&period;S&period; soil to a warehouse in an industrial area but its entry point was here&period; About 1&comma;700 pounds of cocaine&comma; 164 pounds of meth and 3&period;5 pounds of heroin were seized from the warehouse&comma; where an exit point was carved out of the floor&nbsp&semi;&nbsp&semi;<&sol;strong><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>Many tunnels&comma; including the one announced Monday&comma; are in San Diego&&num;8217&semi;s Otay Mesa industrial area&comma; where clay-like soil is conducive to digging and warehouses provide cover&period;<br>This particular tunnel ran the length of six football fields on U&period;S&period; soil to a warehouse in an industrial area but its entry point was here&period; It was built in one of the most fortified stretches of the border&comma; illustrating the limitations of former President Donald Trump&&num;8217&semi;s border wall&period; <br>While considered effective against small&comma; crudely built tunnels called &&num;8216&semi;gopher holes&comma;&&num;8217&semi; walls are no match for more sophisticated passages that run deeper underground&period;<br>The latest passage which was discovered on Friday&comma; ran one-third of a mile to Tijuana&period; It was 4 feet in diameter and about six stories deep&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2022&sol;05&sol;Drugs-recovered-after-bust-of-narco-tunnel-across-US-border-between-San-Diego-and-Tijuana-1&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" class&equals;"wp-image-407618" width&equals;"840" height&equals;"507"&sol;><figcaption><strong>Drugs seized after the discovery of the cross-border tunnel&period; About 175 kg of cocaine&comma; 75 kg of meth and 3&period;5 pounds of heroin were seized from the warehouse<&sol;strong><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>The type of drugs seized may signal a shift from the multi-ton loads of marijuana that were often found in discoveries before California legalized pot for recreational use in 2019&period;<br>Hard drugs&comma; such as heroin&comma; methamphetamine and fentanyl&comma; are typically smuggled through official border crossings from Mexico because their small size and lack of odor make them difficult to detect&period; But tunnels give smugglers an advantage of being able to carry huge loads at lightning speed&period;<br>The tunnel exited the United States in a nondescript warehouse named &&num;8216&semi;Amistad Park&&num;8217&semi; on a street that is busy with large semitrailers during the day but quiet at night&period;  <br>On Monday&comma; armed guards watched over a small shaft with a ladder that descended into the tunnel&period; After staking out a home that was recently used to stash drugs&comma; officials began making traffic stops of vehicles that had been there or at a warehouse near the border&comma; turning up boxes full of cocaine&comma; according to a federal criminal complaint filed in San Diego&period; <br>Explaining the the lead up to the bust&comma; U&period;S&period; Attorney Randy Grossman said agents followed two suspects who left the house in a vehicle and drove to the warehouse&period;<br>&&num;8216&semi;Upon searching the warehouse&comma; agents uncovered a sophisticated border tunnel exit point carved out on cement floor&comma;&&num;8217&semi; Grossman said&period; <br>&&num;8216&semi;We allege our defendants were driving into garage and loading and dropping off cardboard boxes full of drugs to further the movement and distribution of drugs into the United States&period;&&num;8217&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2022&sol;05&sol;House-in-Tijuana-marking-termination-of-cross-border-tunnel-between-Mexico-and-the-U&period;S&period;-2&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" class&equals;"wp-image-407617" width&equals;"844" height&equals;"534"&sol;><figcaption><strong>Mexican Armed Forces stand outside a house where the opening of a cross-border tunnel between Mexico&&num;8217&semi;s Tijuana and the San Diego area was discovered<&sol;strong><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>They raided the properties &&num;8211&semi; finding no other drugs at the warehouse&comma; but a tunnel opening carved into the cement floor&comma; federal prosecutors said&period;<br>The tunnel is the 91st in the Tijuana-San Diego area and the 272nd tunnel found along the entire border since 1993&period;&nbsp&semi;<br>Since 2006&comma; authorities have found about 15 sophisticated tunnels on California&&num;8217&semi;s border with Mexico&period; The largest of these was a huge&nbsp&semi;4&comma;309-foot tunnel in&nbsp&semi;Tijuana that was discovered by federal agents back in January 2020&period;<br>The sophisticated tunnel was equipped with air ventilation&comma; electricity&comma; a rail cart system and an elevator&period;&nbsp&semi;<br>Many tunnels&comma; including the one announced Monday&comma; are in San Diego&&num;8217&semi;s Otay Mesa industrial area&comma; where clay-like soil is conducive to digging and warehouses provide cover&period;<br>The cross-border passages date back to the early 1990s and have been used primarily to smuggle multi-ton loads of marijuana&period;&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<figure class&equals;"wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;konniemoments&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2022&sol;05&sol;House-in-Tijuana-marking-termination-of-cross-border-tunnel-between-Mexico-and-the-U&period;S&period;-1&period;jpg" alt&equals;"" class&equals;"wp-image-407615" width&equals;"838" height&equals;"545"&sol;><figcaption><strong>Crime scene tape is seen across a gate at ramshackle home in Tijuana<&sol;strong><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;&NewLine;<p>The U&period;S&period; Drug Enforcement Administration said in 2020 that they are generally found in California and Arizona and associated with Mexico&&num;8217&semi;s Sinaloa cartel&period;<br>Authorities declined to link the latest tunnel to any specific cartel&period; They claimed victory despite not knowing how long it had been operating&period; However&comma; by federal law U&period;S&period; authorities must fill the U&period;S&period; side of tunnels with concrete after they are discovered&period;<br>&&num;8216&semi;There is no more light at the end of this narco-tunnel&period;&&num;8217&semi; &nbsp&semi;<br>&&num;8216&semi;We will take down every subterranean smuggling route we find to keep illicit drugs from reaching our streets and destroying our families and communities&comma;&&num;8217&semi; said U&period;S&period; attorney Randy Grossman&period;<br><&sol;p>&NewLine;

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