Federal prosecutors have charged four suspects, ranging in age from 18 to 32, with trafficking cocaine for the Jalisco New Generation cartel through a sophisticated underground passage running from San Diego into Tijuana. Two of the defendants are Mexican nationals and two are U.S. citizens. All face potential life sentences.
The operation centered on a storefront called Buy 4 Less located near the Otay Mesa border crossing in San Diego. The store functioned as a cover for the tunnel operation, with law enforcement observing unusual activity beginning in December. Agents from Homeland Security Investigations noted that the retail location operated with virtually no customer traffic. Men repeatedly entered and exited carrying suitcases that often appeared empty, and some transported luggage across the border into Mexico.
On May 29, law enforcement observed suspects loading deep freezers filled with packages into a truck alongside three other vehicles. A traffic stop by San Diego County sheriffs led to a critical breakthrough. Drug-sniffing dogs alerted to the packages, and searches of all three vehicles uncovered cocaine. Officers seized a combined total of more than 2,250 pounds of the drug.
The arrests triggered a search of the Buy 4 Less facility, where agents discovered the tunnel infrastructure. The passage descended 55 feet below the surface using a sophisticated hydraulic lift system. It stretched more than 1,000 feet to the U.S.-Mexico border and an estimated 800 feet further into Tijuana. The tunnel measured approximately 4.5 feet in height and operated on a rail and cart system, complete with electricity and ventilation systems.
One defendant, Gregorio Epifanio Hernandez Lopez, faces an additional charge related to constructing, financing, or using unauthorized tunnels.
Kevin Murphy, acting special agent in charge for HSI San Diego, characterized the discovery as a major disruption to cartel operations. "This investigation and seizure represent a significant blow to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel," Murphy said in a statement. "The discovery and dismantlement of this sophisticated cross-border tunnel, along with the seizure of more than a ton of cocaine, underscore the commitment and collaboration of Homeland Security Investigations and our Homeland Security Task Force partners."
The tunnel marked the first such discovery in Southern California since 2022. Federal authorities have identified 99 cross-border tunnels since 1993, with 28 classified as sophisticated operations.
Author James Rodriguez: "This bust exposes how cartels have become expert engineers, turning retail storefronts into legitimate-looking covers for industrial-scale smuggling operations."
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