The US authorities have discovered this week in the city of Tijuana, bordering the US, a sophisticated narco-tunnel with which a Mexican criminal cell was trafficking drugs in San Diego, California. The access to the tunnel was hidden inside a simple one-story house that was located in a popular neighborhood in the industrial zone of Tijuana.
The tunnel was built 18 meters deep inside the house, which was inhabited only by a guard dog. The simple house is located just 800 meters from the Otay border port and 300 meters from the wall that was reinforced a couple of years ago by former US President Donald Trump to inhibit the transit of migrants to his territory.
Neighbors consulted by Efe reported this Wednesday that they never imagined that a tunnel was being created inside the home that for a long time served for the transfer of drugs, much less than those who they saw entering and leaving were members of the Sinaloa Cartel, to who authorities attribute its construction to him.
According to neighbors, in front of the home there are usually a series of cargo trucks checked by Mexican customs agents before entering the United States and on the same street every third day a market is set up that brings together a large number of people who never noticed. about what happened.
One of the neighbors in the area assured that now he and his family are afraid. "This gives us the notion that we live among criminals and we don't even realize it," he said. "We fear for what may happen after all this."
Another of the neighbors shared that although it is known that in that area, due to its proximity to the border, a series of narco-tunnels have been detected, but she said that they would never have imagined that "here among the people you know would be doing this."
The Mexican authorities confirmed to the media that the tunnel, discovered last Friday but revealed this Monday, has a depth of about 18 meters and more than 500 meters in length, in addition that it was active and its main function was the transfer of drugs. It had electricity, rails, metal support beams and ventilation.
US Attorney Randy Grossman in San Diego reported that the tunnel was about 1,744 feet (532 meters) long and 4 feet (1.2 meters) in diameter, stretching across the border 61 feet ( 19 meters) deep.
In addition, he reported six detainees. Four of them will face charges of conspiracy to traffic 1,750 pounds (793 kilograms) of cocaine and the other two of conspiracy to traffic 164 pounds (74 kilos) of methamphetamine and 3.5 pounds (1.6 kilos) of heroin.
US federal authorities reported the discovery of the cross-border tunnel, perhaps one of the most sophisticated found so far, as it has reinforced walls, a rail system, power lines and a ventilation system.
In Tijuana, these types of tunnels date back to the 1990s, when the first passageways began to be discovered and have been used mainly for the transfer of drugs and some to cross people illegally.
Reports from the Mexican authorities indicate that from 2006 to date, 15 tunnels have been found on the border between California and Mexico, mainly in the Otay industrial zone, where the authorities have said that the type of terrain facilitates their construction.
This Tuesday afternoon, elements of the Attorney General's Office (FGR), obtained the search warrant to enter the interior of the narco-tunnel, however, they did not officially report the findings and the property remains guarded by agents of the Mexican Army.
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