Federal Agents Find Sophisticated Tunnel Under US-Mexico Border and Seize Nearly a Ton of Cocaine

400-meter tunnel found in Arizona 1:33

(CNN) --

One-third of a recently discovered 1.6-kilometer-long tunnel under the US-Mexico border has a rail system, electricity and a ventilation system, federal officials said Monday as they announced charges. for drugs against six people in California.

The passageway was discovered early Friday by a task force led by investigators from the US Department of Homeland Security who had been surveilling a suspected drug house in National City, just south of San Diego, according to a statement from the Justice Department.

The tunnel has a system of tracks and reinforced walls.

Police followed a person from the house to a warehouse in the Otay Mesa neighborhood of San Diego, about 100 yards north of the Mexican border.

That person, along with several others, were arrested after authorities found drugs in their vehicles, the Justice Department said in a criminal complaint.

While searching the warehouse, authorities found a "sophisticated cross-border tunnel exit point carved into the cement floor."

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The tunnel extends from Tijuana, Mexico, for 540 meters to the warehouse in Otay Mesa.

It is 18 meters below ground and 1.21 m in diameter.

The builders even reinforced the walls.

The exit to the tunnel was found on the floor of a warehouse.

“There is no longer any light at the end of this drug tunnel,” said US Attorney Randy Grossman.

"We will take down every underground smuggling route we find to prevent illicit drugs from reaching our streets and destroying our families and communities."

The Justice Department said this is the 90th tunnel discovery in Southern California since 1993, and the first since March 2020 (which also ended in an Otay Mesa warehouse).

The longest tunnel, 1,300 meters long, was discovered in January 2020.

Of those passageways, 27 were considered "sophisticated."

The tunnel was six stories below ground and passed under a border fence.

Six people living in Southern California have been charged with conspiring to distribute 1,762 pounds of cocaine, the release added.

Two defendants are also charged with heroin and methamphetamine trafficking.

In addition to the cocaine, authorities seized 164 pounds of methamphetamine and 3.5 pounds of heroin.

CNN's Elizabeth Joseph contributed to this report.

CaliforniaU.S.-Mexico borderCross-border tunnel