A secret tunnel ran from Mexico straight to a San Diego street.
Officials found an 870-foot passage equipped with lights, rails, and a power sliding door.
Imagine walking down your street, completely unaware that a secret pathway lies right under your feet.
For weeks, people walked over a hidden passage built to move illegal goods right into the US.
WHAT HAPPENED
Mexican police just found a massive tunnel stretching from Tijuana to San Diego near Otay Mesa.
It was not just a hole in the dirt. It was a highly built passage with lights, air vents, and metal rails on the floor.
They even found a power sliding door at the entrance. US border agents worked with Mexican police to shut the whole thing down.
This is not the first secret path found here. Cartels have dug dozens of these tunnels under the border over the years to smuggle drugs and weapons.
WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS
The tunnel is 265 meters (about 870 feet) long.
- It connects Tijuana directly to a San Diego street.
- It has working lights, air vents, and metal tracks.
- A power sliding door hid the entrance.
- Police believe it was used to smuggle drugs, guns, and explosives.
THE BIGGER QUESTION
How do people build massive tunnels right under the noses of border guards?
It takes months of loud digging and tons of dirt to make something like this.
We must ask if border security is looking in the wrong places. If walls cannot stop underground paths, what can?
THE OTHER SIDE
No suspects have been named in court yet, and no cartel has claimed the tunnel.
Lawyers for anyone arrested in these cases usually argue that their clients were forced to dig or had no idea what the building was for.
Right now, with no clear suspects, it is hard to say how strong any defense will be in court.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW
Workers will fill the tunnel with concrete so no one can use it again.
But local residents are left wondering if there are more tunnels under their homes.
Security teams on both sides of the border will likely increase their use of ground sensors to listen for digging.
WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW
- Who paid for and built this specific tunnel?
- How much cargo actually made it through before police found it?
- Are there other active tunnels nearby that have not been found?
Transparency notes
Published: Jun 2, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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Sources
External source links were not provided in this article body. Our editors reference publicly available materials and update stories as new verified information arrives.