Mexican law enforcement discovers cross-border tunnel into U.S.

UPDATE (1:18 PM): The U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of California is holding a press conference Monday afternoon.

According to a press release, this is to announce federal drug charges and discovery of the cross-border tunnel.

The DOJ announced the following people participating in the press conference:

• U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon, Southern District of California
• HSI Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy
• U.S. Border Patrol San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre
• San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez
• DEA San Diego Assistant Special Agent in Charge Manny Castañón
• Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jagdeep Khangura of the FBI San Diego Field Office
• CBP Director of Field Operations Sidney Aki
• High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Director David King

To watch the livestream of the press conference, see attached video.

SAN DIEGO (NBC, KYMA) - Mexican law enforcement officials discovered another cross-border tunnel into the United States, this one between Tijuana and the Otay Mesa neighborhood of San Diego.

Investigators say the tunnel runs for about three football fields long and includes lights and a track system.

The tunnel includes lighting, ventilation and a sliding mechanism that connected both sides of the border, according to Mexican authorities.

Dr. Andres Sumano, who's an expert in public policy, says these tunnels are benefitting criminal organizations on both sides of the border since the 1990s.

"They are still using these types of tunnels, the Baja-Cali region is still the epicenter of synthetic-drug trafficking," Dr. Sumano explained.

Mexican authorities say, with the help of security agencies, they carried out a search warrant in a Tijuana home for violation of federal law involving weapons, explosives, and health laws.

Once Mexican authorities accessed the property, they found it was operating as a possible storage facility for the trafficking of weapons, explosives, and drugs, adding that the tunnel possibly connects to a known San Diego street.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed to NBC affiliate KNSD they are conducting a criminal investigation involving an underground tunnel in Otay Mesa, but didn't confirm if a business on Roll Avenue is connected.

Experts say given the political climate, this is an important find since the u-s government has been asking Mexico to crackdown on drug-trafficking.

Homeland Security Investigations told KNSD they are not providing additional details to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.

This is not the first underground tunnel discovered in the area.

In 2016, federal officials seized a drug smuggling tunnel in a location not far from the location where federal agents were spotted carrying out the investigation Sunday.

Six years later, an 1,800 foot-long drug tunnel connecting a home in Tijuana to a warehouse in San Diego was also discovered with an estimated $25 million in drugs.

Back in 2020, $30 million worth of drugs were seized from a drug-smuggling tunnel connected to another Tijuana warehouse.