Full Breakdown
Massive Cross-Border Tunnel Discovered Beneath Otay Mesa Discount Store
6/3/2026, 12:53:59 AM
Discovery and Seizure
Agents uncovered a 55-foot-deep tunnel accessed by hydraulic-lift beneath the “Buy 4 Less” store in Otay Mesa. The passage, about 2,000 feet long, had rail, ventilation and held 851 cocaine packages (>1 ton, $45 M) after surveillance of employees moving suitcases, leading to four arrests.
Background
Since 1993, the Southern District of California has documented 99 cross-border tunnels, 28 sophisticated, a method for moving large cocaine shipments from Mexico into the United States.
Key Figures & Groups
The tunnel is linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Defendants: San Diego residents Gregorio Hernandez Lopez and Jose Jimenez; Mexican nationals Antonio Cortez and Brandon Escalante Sandoval. The “Buy 4 Less” was a fake discount store. Federal officials include HSI chief Kevin Murphy and U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
Timeline of Investigation
December 2025: HSI began monitoring Buy 4 Less after employee traffic. May 30 2026: Agents observed loading items into a van, then stop a van and two trucks where K-9s detected cocaine. June 1 2026: Search warrant uncovered tunnel; four suspects charged.
Data & Statistics
The tunnel is reported at 1,864 ft (others cite 1,933 ft or 869 ft) and 55 ft deep (or 21 ft/6.30 m). It is 4.5 ft tall, reinforced, with rail, ventilation, and held 851 packages weighing 2,269.87 lb of cocaine.
Why It Matters
Authorities say the bust delivers a major blow to CJNG logistics, preventing the distribution of thousands of pounds of cocaine and highlighting the value of coordinated inter-agency surveillance.
Official Statements & Responses
Kevin Murphy called it a surveillance operation; Adam Gordon called the seizure a “cardiac arrest” for cartel drug flow; Justin de la Torre warned of a nationwide drug flood; Mexican officials called it a blow to trafficking routes.
On-the-Ground Operations
Agents saw a man load items into a van, then stop trucks; K-9s detected cocaine in each. The tunnel entrance was hidden beneath a storage-room floor at the store.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Reports differ on tunnel length (1,864 ft, 1,933 ft, 869 ft) and depth (55 ft, 21 ft, 6.30 m). Construction timeline and full CJNG involvement remain unknown.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Cocaine is now the lifeblood of the cartels, and what you see here today is a cardiac arrest for their system,” — Adam Gordon, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of California
- “They thought they saw the light at the end of the tunnel. In fact, what they saw were our lights and sirens,” — Adam Gordon, U.S. Attorney
- “Make no mistake. Had the cartel been successful, thousands of pounds of dangerous drugs would have been distributed throughout the entire country and beyond,” — Justin de la Torre, Chief Patrol Agent, U.S. Border Patrol, San Diego Sector
- “It was a unified surveillance operation,” — Kevin Murphy, Acting Special Agent in Charge, HSI San Diego
What's Next
Defendants face a June 5 detention hearing; each count carries life imprisonment and a $10 million fine. Agencies will keep using detection tools to locate and dismantle more tunnels.
