Federal agents discovered a sophisticated drug smuggling tunnel stretching nearly 2,000 feet from Mexico into San Diego, seizing over a ton of cocaine valued at $45 million and charging four suspects in a major blow to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

Engineering Marvel Hid Massive Operation

The tunnel extended 1,933 feet from Tijuana to a retail storefront called Buy 4 Less near San Diego’s Otay Mesa Port of Entry. The underground passage featured reinforced walls measuring four and a half feet thick, a rail system for moving contraband, ventilation equipment, and full electrical infrastructure. The sophisticated engineering included stairways descending 55 feet beneath the store’s floor, with 1,064 feet running under American territory and another 800 feet extending into Mexico.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized the operation’s scale and sophistication, noting cartels increasingly resort to such methods as border security tightens. Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in San Diego, confirmed the bust significantly damaged the Jalisco New Generation Cartel’s smuggling capabilities.

Surveillance Breaks The Case

The Homeland Security Investigations Tunnel Task Force initiated surveillance of Buy 4 Less in December 2025 after observing suspicious patterns. Agents noted minimal legitimate customer activity while individuals repeatedly transported empty suitcases between the store, vehicles, and the border crossing. The pattern suggested the business operated primarily as a front for criminal activity rather than retail commerce.

On May 29, 2026, federal agents observed a coordinated smuggling operation unfold. Surveillance teams watched as suspects loaded heavy items into a van at Buy 4 Less, then transferred three deep freezers containing packages between multiple vehicles. San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies stopped two trucks and a van connected to the operation, with K9 units detecting controlled substances in all three vehicles.

Four Face Federal Charges

Prosecutors charged two American citizens and two Mexican nationals in the conspiracy. Gregorio Epifanio Hernandez Lopez and Jose Jimenez, both San Diego residents, face federal charges. Brandon Escalante Sandoval and Antonio Cortez from Mexico also stand accused. Lopez faces additional charges specifically for conspiring to use a cross-border tunnel and conspiring to import controlled substances into the United States.

Agents observed Escalante conducting counter-surveillance operations during the May 29 smuggling attempt, demonstrating the organization’s awareness of law enforcement scrutiny. Jiminez drove one vehicle containing contraband before deputies intercepted it. The coordinated arrests disrupted a transnational criminal network that invested substantial resources constructing the elaborate tunnel system over an extended period.