Mexican authorities have uncovered a sophisticated underground tunnel near the U.S.-Mexico border, complete with lighting, ventilation and an electronic transport system that officials say may connect Tijuana to a street in San Diego.
Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office, known as the FGR, announced the discovery Saturday after authorities executed a search warrant at a property in the Nueva Tijuana neighborhood of Tijuana, Baja California.
Officials said the tunnel stretches about 265 meters, or roughly 870 feet, and reaches a depth of about 6.3 meters, or 21 feet underground.
Investigators said the passageway was not some crude hole in the ground.
The tunnel was outfitted with operational infrastructure, including lighting and ventilation systems, along with an electronic sliding mechanism designed to move items in both directions between Mexico and the United States.
Authorities said the tunnel was found through intelligence work carried out by agents with the FGR’s Criminal Investigation Agency in coordination with Mexico’s Security Cabinet.
The search warrant was tied to an investigation into alleged violations of Mexico’s firearms and explosives laws, as well as drug-related offenses.
Officials said they believe the property may have been used as a storage, logistics and trafficking hub for firearms, explosives and illegal drugs.
Photos released by Mexican authorities appear to show federal agents moving through the narrow underground passage, along with access points leading into the tunnel and evidence seized during the operation.
Investigators said they recovered ammunition, suspected methamphetamine, suspected marijuana, cell phones and various documents from the property.
Images released by the FGR also appear to show ventilation equipment inside the tunnel, highlighting what officials described as a sophisticated smuggling operation.
The FGR said its investigation indicates the tunnel likely connects to a street in San Diego, though authorities have not publicly identified the location or confirmed whether the U.S. side has been found.
The discovery comes as U.S. authorities announced charges against four people accused of trafficking more than a ton of cocaine through another sophisticated cross-border tunnel running between Tijuana and San Diego.
Federal prosecutors in San Diego said that tunnel stretched about 1,933 feet, reached a depth of about 55 feet and was equipped with reinforced walls, electricity, ventilation systems and rail infrastructure.
Investigators said the tunnel connected Tijuana to a storefront in Otay Mesa known as “Buy 4 Less,” where agents found a concealed exit point hidden beneath the floor of a storage room.
Authorities seized about 1,029 kilograms, or more than 2,269 pounds, of suspected cocaine during that investigation. Prosecutors estimated the drugs were worth roughly $45 million.
Homeland Security Investigations said the seizure dealt a major blow to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations.
The case led to charges against four suspects accused of using the tunnel to move narcotics into the United States.
Federal officials said that tunnel was uncovered after months of surveillance that began in late 2025 and ended with coordinated enforcement actions on May 29.
Authorities described the discoveries as significant blows against criminal organizations that rely on underground routes to move drugs and other contraband across the border.
“For these defendants, it wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel. It was lights and sirens,” U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California, said.
The latest tunnel discovery underscores the scale and sophistication of cartel-linked smuggling operations along the southern border.
For years, criminal groups have used tunnels to bypass ports of entry, evade border security and move drugs, weapons and other contraband into the United States.
This time, authorities say the tunnel came with the kind of infrastructure that shows serious planning, investment and coordination.
The evidence and property recovered in the Tijuana operation have been turned over to federal prosecutors in Baja California, who will continue the investigation.
Download the FREE Trending Politics App to get the latest news FIRST >>
