Home Constructed for Sole Purpose of Concealing Mexican Drug Tunnel

Federal officials in California are examining a 400-yard, cross-border drug tunnel. They captured 1,500 pounds of marijuana and made six arrests this week after law enforcement monitored the construction of a house that drug traffickers had built simply to conceal the tunnel opening.

“This house and tunnel were constructed under the watchful eye of law enforcement,” U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy said in a statement Wednesday. “For the builders, the financiers and the operators of these passageways, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. We will seize your drugs and your tunnel before you even have a chance to use it.”

According to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement release, the tunnel uncovered in Calexico, California is the first California-Mexico border tunnel discovered since 2006. The circumstances represent the first time drug traffickers are known to have purchased a parcel of land and had home constructed on top of it for the “sole purpose” of hiding the tunnel exit.

The drug traffickers allegedly purchased a parcel of land in a residential section of Calexico for $240,000 last April. The house was built by December for approximately $86,000. According to law enforcement, the agents with ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) used court-approved wire taps to monitor the construction project in October and November.

“According to the case affidavit, the property owners told the construction contractor to leave a space for a floor safe when pouring a cement foundation for the house.

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