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Mexican officials have discovered a sophisticated underground tunnel near the US-Mexico border that was equipped with lighting, ventilation and an electronic transportation system that they say could connect Tijuana to a road to San Diego.
Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office, known as the FGR, announced the discovery on Saturday after a search warrant executed at a property in the Nueva Tijuana neighborhood of Tijuana, Baja California.
Officials said the tunnel extends about 265 meters, or about 870 feet, and goes underground to a depth of about 6.3 meters, or 21 feet.
According to investigators, the tunnel contained operational infrastructure including lighting and ventilation systems, as well as an electronic sliding mechanism designed to move objects in both directions between Mexico and the US.
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Agents of Mexico’s Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC) are investigating what authorities say was the entrance to a sophisticated cross-border tunnel discovered in Tijuana, Baja California. Mexican officials said the tunnel was equipped with lighting, ventilation and an electronic transportation system. (FGR)
The tunnel was discovered through intelligence work conducted by agents of the Criminal Investigation Agency of the FGR in coordination with the Security Cabinet of Mexico.
Authorities said the search warrant was executed as part of an investigation into alleged violations of Mexico’s firearms and explosives laws, as well as drug-related crimes.
Authorities said they believe the property may function as a storage, logistics and trafficking center for firearms, explosives and illegal drugs.
Mexican federal agents move through an underground tunnel discovered in Tijuana, near the US-Mexico border. Authorities said the route was used to support criminal smuggling operations. (FGR)
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Photos released by FGR show agents navigating underground passages, access points into the tunnel, and evidence recovered during the operation.
Investigators said they recovered ammunition, suspected methamphetamine, suspected marijuana, cell phones and various documents from the property.
Images released by Mexican authorities also show ventilation infrastructure inside the tunnel, underscoring what officials have described as a sophisticated operation.
A staircase and access shaft are seen inside a property where Mexican authorities have unearthed a sophisticated tunnel in Tijuana. (FGR)
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FGR said its investigation indicated the tunnel possibly connects to a road in San Diego, although officials have not publicly identified the location or confirmed whether the U.S. side of the tunnel is located.
The discovery of the tunnel comes as US authorities announced charges against four men accused of smuggling more than a ton of cocaine through a sophisticated cross-border tunnel stretching between Tijuana and San Diego.
According to federal prosecutors in San Diego, the tunnel extended approximately 1,933 feet, reached a depth of about 55 feet and was equipped with reinforced walls, electricity, ventilation systems and rail infrastructure.
Suspected narcotics recovered during a tunnel investigation are displayed by Mexican authorities. Investigators said they also seized ammunition, cell phones and documents during the operation. (FGR)
Federal investigators said the tunnel connects Tijuana to a storefront in Otay Mesa known as “Buy 4 Less,” where agents discovered an exit point hidden beneath the floor of a storage room.
Authorities seized more than 1,029 kilograms or 2,269 pounds of suspected cocaine during the investigation, which prosecutors estimate was worth approximately $45 million.
Homeland Security Investigations said the seizure dealt a significant blow to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations.
The investigation resulted in charges against four suspects for using the tunnel to transport narcotics into the US.
Federal officials said the tunnel was discovered after months of surveillance that began in late 2025 and culminated in coordinated enforcement actions on May 29.
Authorities described the discovery as a significant blow to criminal organizations that rely on underground smuggling routes to move narcotics and other contraband across the border.
Adam Gordon, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California, said, “For these defendants, this was not the light at the end of the tunnel. It was lights and sirens.”
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The evidence and property have been turned over to federal prosecutors in Baja California, who will continue the investigation.
