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500 metre drug tunnel discovered between US-Mexico
US and Mexico officials said they discovered a sophisticated tunnel used by criminals to smuggle drugs across the border of California and Mexico.
The tunnel was discovered to be over 500 metres long, and equipped with a rail system, ventilation and lighting. Police found over 20 tonnes of marijuana inside the tunnel.
They said the tunnel connected a warehouse in Otay Mesa with one in Tijuna in Mexico, considered the main gateway for drugs entering California.
Police say that tunnels are constructed by the traffickers in order to bypass the tough controls at the borders, aimed at curtailing the cross-border trade in illegal drugs and weapons.
In 2006, police discovered a 731 metre tunnel, the longest found so far, also linking Otay Mesa with Tijuana.
