Authorities Discover Sophisticated Tunnel Linking Mexico and United States
Authorities discovered a long tunnel near a popular border crossing between the United States and Mexico in San Diego that was likely used to transport drugs and other contraband.
NBC affiliate KNSD-TV reported on Sunday that the tunnel is approximately 869 feet long and 21 feet deep.
Mexican law enforcement officials served a search warrant for a property in Nueva Tijuana on Saturday and seized four cartridges, three cell phones, bank cards, a DVR device, and 24 doses of methamphetamine, among other items, according to the news outlet.
They also discovered a wooden tunnel with a sophisticated electronic sliding mechanism to transport people and items through it.
The tunnel has both lighting and ventilation, ABC News reported.
Mexican authorities say they found a 869-foot tunnel in Tijuana that likely connects to a well-known street in San Diego. https://t.co/fJIFbY4606 pic.twitter.com/Y7Agiw2Hy0
— ABC News (@ABC) June 1, 2026
“Based on the evidence seized during the search warrant, Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office said the property likely functioned as a hub for storage and trafficking of weapons, explosives and illicit substances,” KNSD reported.
U.S. authorities are investigating the tunnel.
Officials have not stated exactly where it ends on the American side, but it’s near a “well-known” San Diego street, according to ABC News.
A Homeland Security Investigations representative said in a statement to KNSD, “Special Agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Diego, in coordination with our Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) partners, are conducting a criminal enforcement operation involving a cross-border subterranean tunnel in Otay Mesa, CA.”
“To protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation and ensure the safety of all involved, we are unable provide additional details at this time,” the representative added.
The Trump administration has touted the turnaround in border security since the president took office last year.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced in a May news release, “Twelve straight months of ZERO releases at the border. Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, we are delivering the most secure border in American history.”
“Nationwide in April, seizures of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and marijuana (combined, by weight) increased 60% from April 2024. In April 2026, heroin seizures increased 73% compared with March 2026 and methamphetamine seizures increased 63%. CBP [Customs and Border Protection] seized 463 pounds of fentanyl in April,” the agency added.
Last summer, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took The Washington Post to task for running a “ridiculous” headline about “the mysterious drop in fentanyl seizures on the U.S.-Mexico border.”
🔥 @PressSec slams the Washington Post for their headline, ‘The mysterious drop in fentanyl seizures on the U.S.-Mexico border’:
“There is NO mystery about why there is a decrease of fentanyl coming into the United States. This Admin’s strong border policies are the reason.” pic.twitter.com/WYrjw4yKKq
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 3, 2025
“There is no mystery about why there is a decrease of fentanyl coming into the United States,” she said. “This administration’s strong border policies are the reason there has been a decrease in fentanyl trafficking.”
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