For six months, agents from a U.S. Homeland Security task force monitored a purported retail store in Otay Mesa, San Diego, which turned out to be the front for one of the most sophisticated cross-border tunnels discovered along the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years.
The operation culminated on May 29, 2026, with the arrest of four individuals linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the seizure of more than a ton of cocaine valued at $45 million.
The tunnel, which connects Tijuana, Baja California, with San Diego, California, measures approximately 1,933 feet in length—about 589 meters—and 55 feet in depth—nearly 16.7 meters—featuring reinforced walls, a rail system, ventilation, and electricity. In some sections, it reaches a height of 4.5 feet.
It is the first operational tunnel discovered in the Southern District of California since 2022.
For its part, the Attorney General’s Office (FGR) reported that the access point on the Mexican side was located in the Nueva Tijuana neighborhood, where the tunnel was equipped with lighting, ventilation, and a bidirectional electronic sliding system. Mexican authorities recorded a length of 265 meters and a depth of 6.30 meters—measurements corresponding to the section situated within national territory.
The exit point in San Diego was concealed beneath the floor of a storage room inside a commercial establishment identified as “Buy 4 Less,” located near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Access to the tunnel was activated via a sophisticated hydraulic lift, as detailed by the U.S. Department of Justice in a press release.
