Federal agents have seized almost 30 tons of marijuana in an operation that led to the discovery of a high-tech drug-smuggling tunnel and one of the largest ever pot busts in the United States.
The haul, with an estimated street value of around $20 million, was nabbed in a lightening fast investigation that unfolded over just 12 hours when U.S. federal agents noticed a suspiciously inactive warehouse in a rural community that is part of San Diego, California — and just across from Tijuana, Mexico.
The tunnel, which ran for 18,000 feet between the warehouse and one in Mexico, featured its own railway system, ventilation and lighting. Mexican authorties raided the warehouse on the other side of the passage, and found more than four tons of marijuana inside.
Authorities believe the tunnel belonged to one of Mexico’s deadly drug cartels, although they are not sure which one.