Border Patrol agents have uncovered yet another sophisticated drug-smuggling tunnel connecting Tijuana to San Diego, highlighting ongoing security vulnerabilities despite increased border enforcement measures. The tunnel had rails for moving illegal goods, ventilation, lighting, and electrical wiring. To prevent agents from moving forward, temporary barricades were erected in the passage, which reached a depth of 50 feet underground.
Sophisticated Underground Passageway Details
The U.S. Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector recently uncovered an incomplete drug smuggling tunnel running from Tijuana, Mexico, into the Otay Mesa area of San Diego. The sophisticated passage extended over 1,000 feet into U.S. territory and ran directly beneath the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Agents discovered the tunnel in early April while it was still under construction, before it could be used for smuggling operations.
The tunnel’s engineering was notably advanced, measuring 2,918 feet in total length, 42 inches in height, and 28 inches in width. The passage reached depths of approximately 50 feet underground and featured a complete infrastructure, including electrical wiring, proper lighting, ventilation systems, and a track system designed for efficient movement of contraband across the international border.
BREAKING: Border Patrol agents shut down massive 3,000-foot drug smuggling tunnel between Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego, equipped with lighting, ventilation systems and tracks to move narcotics
The agents discovered the tunnel in early April while it was ACTIVELY under… pic.twitter.com/7qiLnAlLke
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 19, 2025
Discovery and Investigation
The San Diego Sector Tunnel Team, a specialized unit dedicated to locating and neutralizing underground border passages, led the discovery operation. Their investigation revealed the tunnel originated in a Tijuana residence, where the entrance was cleverly concealed beneath freshly laid tile. Working with Mexican authorities, agents identified and accessed the passage’s starting point, following it northward toward the U.S. border.
During their exploration, agents encountered makeshift barricades deliberately placed by tunnel workers to slow down law enforcement progress and conceal the tunnel’s origin. The tunnel had a projected exit point that would have emerged inside a commercial warehouse space in Otay Mesa had construction been completed.
Mexican authorities found a 600-meter tunnel connecting Tijuana to San Diego, likely used for drug trafficking. Methamphetamine was recovered on site. The tunnel, 13.5 meters deep, is the latest in a series of sophisticated "narco-tunnels" used by cartels. pic.twitter.com/cUobD6pb7w
— NTD News (@NTDNews) June 20, 2025
Growing Border Security Concern
This discovery marks the second significant cross-border tunnel found in 2023. In January, authorities discovered another tunnel running from Juarez, Mexico, into a storm drain in El Paso, Texas. That passage was reportedly used for smuggling illegal aliens and sex-trafficking women. The frequency of these discoveries underscores the persistent challenges facing border security efforts.
The tunnel activity along the southern border has increased significantly over the past three decades. Since 1990, federal authorities have discovered more than 140 tunnels breaching the U.S. border, with an 80% increase in activity since 2008. In response to this growing threat, the House of Representatives passed the Subterranean Border Defense Act to address and combat tunnel-based smuggling operations. \
Historical Context and Countermeasures
The San Diego area has been particularly vulnerable to tunnel operations, with over 95 tunnels discovered and decommissioned since 1993. In 2020, the DEA uncovered what was then the longest cross-border tunnel ever found, stretching 4,309 feet from Tijuana into U.S. territory. That tunnel featured sophisticated elements similar to the recent discovery, including rail systems and ventilation.
Following established protocol, authorities will fill the newly discovered tunnel with concrete to permanently seal it and prevent its potential use by criminal organizations or foreign terrorist groups. Federal law enforcement takes these threats seriously, with 18 U.S. Code 555 imposing severe penalties for tunnel-related crimes, including prison terms of up to 10, 20, or 40 years for building, knowledge of, or use of border tunnels.