A MASSIVE drug tunnel fitted with lights, ventilation and an electric sliding system has been found under the US-Mexico border, prosecutors say.
The underground passage allegedly linked a fake San Diego storefront to a property in Mexico used by traffickers.
The tunnel ran between San Diego, California, and Tijuana, Mexico, near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
The subterranean passageway stretched from Tijuana to the purported retail store near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry known as Buy 4 Less, the DOJ said in a release.
Federal prosecutors said the tunnel was estimated to be about 1,933 feet long, 55 feet deep and 4.5 feet high, with reinforced walls, rail and ventilation systems and electricity.
Prosecutors claim the tunnel was used to smuggle more than $45 million worth of cocaine into Southern California.
The US Homeland Security Investigations Tunnel Task Force had been watching the Buy 4 Less site since December 2025.
Investigators said activity around the store did not look like a normal retail business.
Agents reported seeing little customer foot traffic going in and out of the shop.
They also allegedly saw apparent workers moving empty-looking suitcases across the border into Tijuana by car and on foot.
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Authorities moved in on May 29 after spotting large, heavy items being loaded into a white van at the store, officials said.
The van was later parked nearby before a man on a bicycle allegedly rode up and grabbed a key hidden near the gas cap.
Officials said he then drove the van back-to-back with another vehicle as deep freezers filled with packages were moved between them.
A large truck also pulled up during the alleged transfer, according to the Justice Department.
San Diego County sheriff’s deputies then busted the operation.
At the same time, agents allegedly saw another truck being loaded with packages at the Buy 4 Less store.
That truck was also stopped after leaving the parking lot.
More than 2,269 pounds of cocaine were found across three vehicles, federal officials said.
Investigators later searched the store and found the tunnel exit concealed under the floor of a storage room.
The passage dropped as deep as 55 feet underground before stretching toward the border, prosecutors said.
It continued more than 800 feet on the Mexico side, according to the Justice Department.
Mexican authorities said a connected property in the Nueva Tijuana neighborhood was raided after a search warrant was issued.
Officials said the warrant involved alleged violations of firearms, explosives and health laws.
During the search, authorities seized cartridges, suspected methamphetamine, marijuana, cell phones and documents, Mexico’s federal Attorney General’s Office said.
Investigators said the home may have been used as a storage, logistics and trafficking hub for weapons, explosives and drugs.
The property and evidence were seized and handed to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Baja California.
Four men were charged Monday in connection with the alleged drug tunnel scheme.
They were identified as Gregorio Epifanio Hernandez Lopez, 29, of San Diego; Jose Jimenez, 32, of San Diego; Antonio Cortez, 18, of Mexico; and Brandon Escalante Sandoval, 26, of Mexico.
All four were charged with distribution of a controlled substance.
Hernandez Lopez also faces charges of constructing, financing or using unauthorized tunnels and importing a controlled substance.
All four men face a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.
Authorities believe the tunnel was built and operated by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
“This investigation and seizure represent a significant blow to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel,” said Kevin Murphy, acting special agent in charge for HSI San Diego.
“The discovery and dismantlement of this sophisticated cross-border tunnel, along with the seizure of more than a ton of cocaine, underscore the commitment and collaboration of Homeland Security Investigations and our Homeland Security Task Force partners.”
The bust comes just days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off across the US, Mexico and Canada, with Southern California bracing for a major security operation as Los Angeles prepares to host matches at SoFi Stadium.
US Attorney Adam Gordon also praised the bust.
“For these defendants, it wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel. It was lights and sirens,” he said.