The Border Patrol uncovered what it called a sophisticated smuggling tunnel stretching more than half a mile between Mexico and the U.S., saying it was more evidence that President Trump’s border policies are biting into the cartels’ business.
The tunnel, near San Diego, reached more than 1,000 feet into the U.S. and was still under construction when agents discovered it in April.
The Border Patrol moved in on the operation on Monday, coordinating with Mexican authorities to pinpoint the origin inside a residence in Tijuana.
The tunnel was wired for electricity and lights, had a ventilation system and a track for moving large quantities of things through it. It was 42 inches high and 28 inches wide, extending 50 feet below ground at its deepest point.
U.S. authorities said that, given the construction trajectory, they presume the exit point was supposed to be a warehouse area near the Otay Mesa border crossing.
“As we continue to strengthen the nation’s air, and maritime border security, it’s not surprising that foreign terrorist organizations would resort to underground routes,” said Jeffrey D. Stalnaker, acting chief patrol agent in the San Diego sector.
U.S. authorities will now dump concrete into the tunnel to make it unusable.
