‘Sophisticated’ tunnel used to smuggle over $45 million worth of cocaine between Mexico and California, prosecutors say
Published at
TMX
OTAY MESA, California — Federal officials say four people are facing charges for allegedly smuggling more than $45 million worth of cocaine following the discovery of a “sophisticated” tunnel stretching from Tijuana, Mexico, to a retail store in Otay Mesa, Calif.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California said the charges announced this week are the result of a monthslong Homeland Security Task Force drug investigation focused on the “Buy 4 Less” retail store near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
Gregorio Epifanio Hernandez Lopez of San Diego; Brandon Escalante Sandoval of Mexico; Jose Jimenez of San Diego; and Antonio Cortez of Mexico were each charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Hernandez Lopez was additionally charged with conspiracy to use a cross-border tunnel and conspiracy to import controlled substances.
Investigators surveilled the store from December 2025 through May 2026 due to “suspicious activity.” Beginning in December, a new group of seven or eight purported employees were seen regularly in and around the store. Over the course of the investigation, activity at the store did not appear to be consistent with a retail operation, with “minimal” foot traffic from customers.
The purported employees were observed engaging in unusual activities such as transporting large numbers of suitcases out of the store, sometimes into vehicles and sometimes walking them over the border into Mexico. The suitcases appeared to be empty, however, so law enforcement did not immediately intervene.
On May 29, 2026, agents spotted a man loading three large, heavy items into a van. The van left Buy 4 Less and parked outside a mechanic shop at 923½ Coolidge Avenue. A man on a bicycle, later identified as Escalante Sandoval, was allegedly seen conducting “counter surveillance” in the area.
Escalante Sandoval then allegedly took the van key from where it was concealed behind the gas cap and drove the van a short distance away and backed up to another van, with the rear doors on both vehicles open. Meanwhile, a truck entered 923½ Coolidge Avenue, and agents watched as three deep freezers from the first van were loaded into the truck bed. The freezers were then loaded with packages.
Agents allegedly observed Jimenez drive away in the truck, which was stopped a short time later San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies. A K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics.
Shortly after the traffic stop, agents watching Buy 4 Less spotted two men loading heavy boxes onto a second truck. That truck, allegedly driven by Cortez, was also stopped a short distance away by San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies and a K-9.
In total, searches of the van and two trucks led to the seizure of 2,269.87 pounds, more than a ton, of cocaine.
Following the May 29 seizures, a search of Buy 4 Less led to the discovery of subterranean tunnel, accessed by a “sophisticated” hydraulic lift, 55 feet below ground level. The tunnel, equipped with electricity and ventilation, ran approximately 1,064 feet from Buy 4 Less to to U.S.–Mexico border, then another 800 feet to the entry point in Tijuana.
Prosecutors said that of the 99 subterranean passages discovered in Southern California since 1993, 28 were considered “sophisticated.”
“For these defendants, it wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel. It was lights and sirens,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“This investigation and seizure represent a significant blow to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The discovery and dismantlement of this sophisticated cross-border tunnel, along with the seizure of more than a ton of cocaine, underscore the commitment and collaboration of Homeland Security Investigations and our Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) partners” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Diego. “HSI Special Agents and task force members worked tirelessly to disrupt the flow of dangerous narcotics into our communities, and we remain steadfast in our mission to protect the public and keep our communities safe.”