Raid of Sophisticated Drug Tunnel on Mexico Border Nets 12 Tons of Marijuana Associated Press
go to original October 23, 2015

Drug Tunnel Found Under U.S.-Mexico Border (Reuters/PigMine 2)

Authorities seized 12 tons of marijuana and arrested 22 people after discovering one of the longest cross-border tunnels between the US and Mexico, officials said on Thursday.

The passage connecting warehouses in San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, was about 2,400ft long and 30ft deep. It was lit, ventilated and equipped with a rail system hallmarks of the most sophisticated tunnels found along the border.

Near-simultaneous police stings on Wednesday resulted in six arrests in San Diego and 16 in Mexico. Authorities recovered two tons of marijuana in the US and 10 tons in Mexico.

US authorities said smugglers tried to move the first load of drugs through the tunnel on Wednesday but that nothing got through undetected.

The sting came after an undercover agent for US Homeland Security Investigations agreed to provide the drug smugglers with drivers and use of a warehouse in exchange for a $10,000 payment for each truckload of drugs moved, according to a probable cause statement.

The discovery demonstrates the enduring appeal of tunnels to smugglers, despite the significant time and money required to build one. Dozens of tunnels have been found along the US-Mexico border in recent years, some equipped with hydraulic lifts and electric rail cars.

Read the rest at The Guardian

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