Overview
- Federal and Mexican agents seized about 1,029.6 kilograms (roughly 2,270 pounds) of suspected cocaine after coordinated traffic stops that followed months of investigation into a Otay Mesa retail front.
- Investigators found a nearly 1,933‑ to 2,000‑foot tunnel that descended about 55 feet and included lighting, ventilation, reinforced walls, an electric rail system and a hydraulic lift with the U.S. exit hidden beneath a store storage-room floor.
- Four people — two U.S. residents and two Mexican nationals identified by prosecutors — were arrested and federally charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances while one defendant faces additional counts tied to the tunnel and importation; convictions carry maximum penalties up to life in prison and large fines.
- Homeland Security Investigations’ Tunnel Task Force had been surveilling the Buy 4 Less location since December 2025 and moved to intercept a shipment on May 29, 2026 to catch suspects in the act and strengthen the criminal case.
- Officials allege the passage was linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and said the discovery underscores the long history of subterranean smuggling in the Otay Mesa–Tijuana corridor, with 99 tunnels recorded in the Southern District of California since 1993 and follow‑up cross‑border evidence sharing ongoing.