U.S. says those responsible for cross-border tunnel in danger Seth Hettena Associated Press SAN DIEGO -
Those associated with the longest and one of the most sophisticated tunnels ever discovered along the U.S.-Mexico border may be in grave danger, U.S.
officials said Friday.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it had received intelligence that the Mexican drug cartel behind the tunnel had threatened the lives of
people who had used it or were involved the passageway's design or construction.
The agency appealed to those whose lives were at risk to seek out U.S. officials at Mexican border crossings and pledged to do everything possible to
protect them.
More than 2 tons of marijuana were found inside the tunnel discovered this week, which ran about 2,400 feet from a warehouse near the airport in
Tijuana, Mexico, to a warehouse in San Diego's Otay Mesa industrial district.
As deep as 90 feet below the surface, authorities found a tunnel floor lined with cement, lights that ran down one of the hard soil walls, a
groundwater pump and pipes that circulated fresh air, he said. An adult could stand in the 5-foot-high shaft.
"Given the sophistication of this tunnel, it's clear that the people responsible have significant resources at their disposal," said Michael Unzueta,
special agent in charge of the agency's investigations in San Diego. "There is no doubt that an organization like this will take whatever steps
necessary to protect their interests, including taking human lives."
Through a spokeswoman, Unzueta declined to answer any questions about which drug cartel he believed was behind the tunnel. The Drug Enforcement
Administration said Thursday it suspects that Tijuana's ruthless Arellano-Felix drug syndicate or another well-known cartel is involved.
It remained unclear how long the tunnel had been in operation, but Lauren Mack, a Customs spokeswoman, said the agency was bringing in a team of
professional miners to analyze the soil and determine the passageway's age.
The San Diego warehouse where U.S. investigators found the tunnel's exit on Wednesday had a green sign over the door read V&F Distributors LLC.
The company, which incorporated last year in California, paid $2 million to lease the 49,377-square-foot commercial warehouse for five years with the
stated purpose of distributing produce, according to real estate records.
V&F Distributors apparently stands for the initials of its two principals - Vicente Rodriguez of San Diego and Fernando Avila of Tijuana. Neither
could be reached for comment Friday.
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