In true “El Chapo” style, a new tunnel has been found from Mexico heading into the U.S.
On Wednesday, Federal agents revealed their finding of the “longest illicit cross-border tunnel ever discovered along the Southwest border.”
The announcement was made by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. The tunnel originates in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico in an industrial area.
“Subterranean tunnels are not a new occurrence along the California-Mexico border,” said Cardell T. Morant, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego. “The sophistication and length of this tunnel demonstrates the time-consuming efforts transnational criminal organizations undertake to facilitate cross-border smuggling.”
Following the discovery in late August 2019, Mexican law enforcement identified the tunnel entrance. Then, members of the San Diego Tunnel Task Force (SDTTF) began mapping the tunnel from Mexico.
The tunnel travels into the U.S. extending 4,068 ft. from the border, with a total length of 4,309 ft. That’s over three-quarters of a mile!
The next longest tunnel in the U.S., discovered in San Diego in 2014, was 2,966 feet long.
The tunnel is five and a half feet tall and two feet wide with an average depth of 70 ft. from the surface. It includes an extensive rail/cart system. Also, forced air ventilation, high voltage electrical cables and panels, an elevator at the tunnel entrance, and a complex drainage system.
No arrests or seizures have been made in light of the discovery of this tunnel.
