BajaNews - 11-17-2006 at 11:16 PM
http://www.10news.com/news/10349271/detail.html
November 17, 2006
SAN DIEGO -- Mexican authorities are constantly updating services to create more security and increase tourism in Tijuana.
The police department there recently formed a task force to rid the border area of drug addicts who make their home in nearby underground tunnels.
Tijuana is a fast-moving city on the surface.
However, below the city streets -- within a mile of the border -- lives an underground culture.
In a maze of drainage tunnels that dump into the Tijuana River, a group of outcasts makes its home.
There are makeshift beds, a small fire pit and other simple necessities for the drug addicts who live in the tunnels. They survive only on what they
can steal on the streets above.
“Owning a shop, you could tell that things were missing. Now, you can tell that things have changed since they have a lot more cops,” said store owner
Juan Calderon.
Mexican authorities created a task force to monitor the tunnels because the problems had risen.
Within minutes of 10News’ visit to the tunnels, the task force had their first suspect.
Authorities detained a 28-year-old man who was recently deported from the U.S. who is a crystal meth addict.
Two minutes after, authorities captured the man's friend in another tunnel. He explained that he is a heroin addict and showed the locations on his
body where he injects the drug.
Moving through the maze of tunnels, there was evidence of where others make their homes.
One person made what seems like a decent bed despite the surroundings.
There are other items like a raised bed, clothes hanging from walls, a single bullet and ropes officers said are used for kidnapping. There is also a
toy gun, shanks, a hammer and other items officers said addicts use to break into cars and homes.
Authorities found a hollowed-out light bulb, used as a pipe to inhale crystal meth.
There are hundreds of stolen hubcaps that drug addicts steal and sell in order to purchase drugs, authorities said.
“The ultimate goal is to recover the area for the society and for the tourism that comes from our neighboring countries and that they feel safe,” said
task force Cmdr. Aurelio Paz.
The suspects arrested usually end up in rehabilitation centers, authorities told 10News.
While the project to clean up the tunnels has been successful, other addicts continue to try to make the tunnels their home.