$45M in Cocaine Seized After Cross-Border Tunnel Discovery in California

Federal agents investigating a little-used retail store near the U.S.-Mexico border uncovered a hidden trafficking operation that allegedly moved more than $45 million worth of cocaine through a sophisticated underground tunnel stretching nearly 2,000 feet between Tijuana and San Diego. The months-long investigation culminated in the seizure of more than a ton of cocaine and the arrest of four men accused of using the subterranean passageway to funnel drugs into the United States, according to a June 1 news release from federal prosecutors in Southern California.

Authorities say the tunnel connected Tijuana to a business known as "Buy 4 Less" in San Diego's Otay Mesa neighborhood, just north of one of the busiest border crossings in the country. Hidden beneath a storage room floor and accessible via a hydraulic lift, the tunnel was equipped with electrical power, ventilation systems, reinforced walls, and a rail system designed to move cargo underground.

Homeland Security Investigations agents began monitoring the Buy 4 Less location in December 2025 after observing activity that appeared inconsistent with a functioning retail business, according to a federal criminal complaint. Investigators reported minimal customer traffic but frequent activity involving groups of workers who regularly moved large suitcases in and out of the building.

Agents also observed individuals carrying suitcases across the border into Mexico. Surveillance continued for months before investigators moved in on Friday, May 29, when agents watched a series of vehicle transfers involving large containers and packages believed to contain narcotics.

The operation led to traffic stops involving two trucks and a van connected to the investigation. Law enforcement officers recovered a combined 851 packages containing suspected cocaine.

The drugs weighed approximately 1,029.6 kilograms, or nearly 2,270 pounds, with an estimated street value of $45 million.

Federal authorities charged Gregorio Epifanio Hernandez Lopez, 29, and Jose Jimenez, 32, both of San Diego, along with Brandon Escalante Sandoval, 26, and Antonio Cortez, 18, both of Mexico. All four face drug distribution conspiracy charges, while Hernandez Lopez faces additional offenses related to the tunnel and drug importation.

After obtaining search warrants, agents located the tunnel's U.S. exit beneath the Buy 4 Less property.

Authorities estimate the passageway extended roughly 1,933 feet, reaching depths of about 55 feet underground and standing as tall as 4½ feet in some sections. Officials described the discovery as a significant blow to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, a powerful Mexican criminal organization involved in international drug trafficking.

The tunnel is the 99th cross-border passageway discovered in Southern California since 1993, according to federal authorities. Only 28 have been classified as sophisticated, and officials said the last operational tunnel found in the region was discovered in 2022.