Pubdate: Fri, 23 Oct 2015
Source: Orange County Register, The (CA)
Copyright: 2015 The Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.ocregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/321
Author: Elliot Spagat, The Associated Press

TIJUANA-SAN DIEGO TUNNEL RAID YIELDS 12 TONS OF POT

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Authorities seized 12 tons of marijuana and arrested 
22 people after discovering one of the longest cross-border tunnels 
between the U.S. and Mexico, officials said Thursday.

The passage connecting warehouses in San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico, 
was about 2,400 feet long and 30 feet deep. It was lit, ventilated 
and equipped with a rail system  hallmarks of the most sophisticated 
tunnels found along the border.

Near-simultaneous police stings on Wednesday resulted in six arrests 
in San Diego and 16 in Mexico. Authorities recovered 2 tons of 
marijuana in the U.S. and 10 tons in Mexico.

U.S. authorities said smugglers tried to move the first load of drugs 
through the tunnel Wednesday but that nothing got through undetected.

The sting came after an undercover agent for U.S. Homeland Security 
Investigations agreed to provide the drug smugglers with drivers and 
use of a warehouse in exchange for a $10,000 payment for each 
truckload of drugs moved, according to a probable cause statement.

The discovery demonstrates the enduring appeal of tunnels to 
smugglers, despite the significant time and money required to build 
one. Dozens of tunnels have been found along the U.S.-Mexico border 
in recent years, some equipped with hydraulic lifts and electric rail cars.

The San Diego-Tijuana region is popular because its claylike soil is 
relatively easy to dig with shovels and pneumatic tools and both 
sides of the border have warehouses that provide cover for trucks and 
heavy equipment.

Mexican federal police said in a news release that those arrested on 
suspicion of drug trafficking told authorities that they had ties to 
a criminal group that operates in the state of Jalisco  an apparent 
reference to the Jalisco New Generation cartel, which controls that 
part of western Mexico.

The Mexican suspects were caught off-guard when authorities arrived 
at the Tijuana warehouse with a search warrant, police said. No shots 
were fired.

The drugs found were wrapped in 873 packages covered with plastic and tape.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom