En esta noticia
- For years it operated underground without being detected: What was the key clue in this discovery?
- The $45,000,000 “narco-tunnel” they used to bring drugs into California: How much money was seized in the raid?
- How many people have been detained in the investigation?
- What was the drug tunnel like that moved more than 800 packages of cocaine?
Federal authorities in the United States were investigating a retail store located near the border with Mexico when they made an unprecedented discovery.
An underground tunnel nearly 600 meters long that connected Tijuana with San Diego. According to the investigation, cocaine worth more than 45 million dollars was being moved through it.
For years it operated underground without being detected: What was the key clue in this discovery?
The investigation began in December 2025 when agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) noticed suspicious activity at a discount store called “Buy 4 Less” that was located in Otay Mesa, California.
What was curious was that very few customers entered the store, and the workers, who were constantly coming and going, carried suitcases and bags far too often. When they decided to track their activities, they saw that on several occasions they crossed the border with Mexico with those suitcases.
The activity observed by HSI agents was not what would be expected from a normal retail business. It was because of this suspicion that the authorities decided to keep the establishment under surveillance for nearly six months until they discovered the drug tunnel used by the criminals.
The $45,000,000 “narco-tunnel” they used to bring drugs into California: How much money was seized in the raid?
During the operations that took place on May 29, HSI agents intercepted several vehicles used to transport drugs from the tunnel. According to reports, 851 packages of cocaine were seized.
The total value of the drugs amounts to 45 million dollars. The breakdown of the seizure was:
- 173 packages found in a truck
- 423 packages found in another vehicle
- 255 packages found in an additional van
How many people have been detained in the investigation?
The federal prosecutor’s office has so far brought charges against four people for conspiracy to distribute illegal substances:
- Gregorio Epifanio Hernández López, 29 years old
- José Jiménez , 32 years old
- Antonio Cortez , 18 years old
- Brandon Escalante Sandoval, 26 years old
In Hernández López’s case, he will also face the following charges:
- Using and financing an illegal border tunnel
- Importing controlled substances into the United States
According to the prosecutor’s office, the penalties could reach life imprisonment if they are found guilty of the charges filed. Authorities maintain that the organization allegedly operated for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
What was the drug tunnel like that moved more than 800 packages of cocaine?
The agents discovered one of the most sophisticated tunnels in recent years in this region. Its main features include a length of 589 meters and a depth of nearly 16.7 meters. The interior height of the passage is 1.37 meters, with reinforced walls and a hidden hydraulic platform that allowed them to go in and out.
It has a complete electrical system and internal lighting, as well as mechanical ventilation so the trip is not suffocating, and metal rails with transport carts to move the loads from one end of the tunnel to the other.