Federal prosecutors have filed charges against four individuals accused of operating a sophisticated drug trafficking operation for the Jalisco New Generation cartel, utilizing a fake retail establishment in San Diego to conceal an elaborate tunnel system stretching beneath the United States-Mexico border.
The charges represent a significant development in the ongoing effort to combat organized crime along the southern border. The defendants, comprised of two Mexican nationals and two American citizens ranging in age from 18 to 32 years, face conspiracy charges related to drug trafficking across international boundaries. Each defendant faces potential life imprisonment if convicted. One suspect, Gregorio Epifanio Hernandez Lopez, faces an additional charge of constructing, financing, or using unauthorized tunnels.
The investigation began in December of last year when agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative arm of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, initiated surveillance of a San Diego establishment called “Buy 4 Less” near the Otay Mesa border crossing. Federal agents suspected the location of housing a subterranean passage.
According to a federal criminal complaint filed Monday, investigators observed activity inconsistent with legitimate retail operations. The store appeared to have no customers. Multiple individuals were observed entering and exiting the premises carrying suitcases, which frequently appeared empty. On several occasions, these same individuals transported the suitcases across the border into Mexico.
On May 29, federal agents observed the suspects congregating at the location with three vehicles. The individuals loaded a truck with deep freezers containing numerous packages. San Diego County sheriffs subsequently conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, during which drug-detecting canines alerted to the packages. Searches of the remaining two vehicles also yielded illicit narcotics. Officers confiscated a combined total exceeding 2,250 pounds of cocaine, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Following the arrests, federal agents executed a search of the Buy 4 Less location. There, they discovered a tunnel descending 55 feet below ground, accessed through a sophisticated hydraulic lift system. The passage extended more than 1,000 feet to the international border. Authorities believe the tunnel continued an additional 800 feet into Tijuana, Mexico.
The tunnel measured approximately four and a half feet in height and operated using a rail and cart transportation system. The passage was equipped with electrical power and ventilation systems, demonstrating significant planning and investment.
Kevin Murphy, acting special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego, characterized the operation as a significant disruption to cartel activities. The discovery and dismantlement of this cross-border tunnel, combined with the seizure of more than one ton of cocaine, demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated law enforcement efforts along the border.
This marks the first cross-border tunnel discovered in Southern California in recent years, underscoring both the persistent challenges facing border security and the continued evolution of smuggling tactics employed by international criminal organizations.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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