A nearly 3,000-foot-long tunnel stretching from Tijuana to San Diego was blocked off by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Wednesday, with about 1,000 feet being in the US.
The discovery of the tunnel – reportedly used for the smuggling of narcotics – was made in early April, according to the CBP, which wrote on the “sophisticated” tunnel and how it was handled in a press release.
“As we continue to strengthen the nation’s air, and maritime border security, it’s not surprising that foreign terrorist organizations would resort to underground routes,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the San Diego Sector Jeffrey D. Stalnaker about the tunnel. “Disruption of narcotics smuggling tunnels is critical to protecting American lives. I’m grateful for the exceptional work of the Tunnel Team agents who placed themselves in danger, as well as the cooperation of our Mexican law enforcement partners.”
The tunnel was “haphazardly” barricaded by smugglers to obstruct agents from making progress through it and locating their origin. However, these occurred sporadically throughout the tunnel and were unsuccessful in preventing the agents from locating its origin.
Moreover, thousands of gallons of concrete will be poured through the tunnel to prevent its usability, as it is remediated by Border Patrol. According to Fox 5, the Mexican government cooperated with the US, filling the entrance in Tijuana with tile and issuing a warrant at the property where the Mexican side of the tunnel is located.
San Diego is not unfamiliar with the presence of tunnels in its region. The CBP further reported that “since 1993 more than 95 tunnels have been found and decommissioned in the San Diego area.”
