Five mixed-breed dogs are trapped inside a house that was seized by Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR) after authorities discovered an underground tunnel allegedly used by organized crime groups to smuggle drugs across the border into the United States.
A newspaper visited the property, located on Carlos Chávez Street in the Nueva Tijuana neighborhood, and observed four puppies approximately five months old along with a large adult male dog resembling a beige Labrador.
In the backyard of the two-story home, which was searched by authorities on May 30, feces, buckets, and an open sack of dog food could be seen. The property also contained rags, a child’s ATV, car tires, a clothesline, backpacks, and other belongings.
On May 31, Mexico’s Navy and the FGR announced the discovery of the underground passage, located less than 300 meters from the border wall separating Mexico and the United States.
The house is also situated just one block from the Otay customs yards in Tijuana, an area guarded by Mexico’s National Guard. Official FGR seizure notices were posted on the property’s gates.
A similar incident occurred in May 2022, when animal welfare organizations rescued a dog after another house containing a drug tunnel with an exit in the United States was seized by federal authorities.
According to authorities in San Diego, approximately 100 cross-border tunnels have been discovered between Tijuana and San Diego since 1993.
The FGR reported that during the search of this residence, agents found four rounds of ammunition, three cell phones, bank cards, a DVR device, various identification documents, a wallet, 24 doses of methamphetamine, and a bag of marijuana. However, no arrests were reported.
