2026年6月2日 下午1:05 美东时间 / 哥伦比亚广播公司（CBS News）
作者：马克·奥斯本
据联邦官员透露，四人已被捕并被控通过墨西哥与加利福尼亚州边境城市之间一条精心建造的2000英尺长隧道贩运超过4500万美元的可卡因，这条隧道配备了电力系统、加固墙体、通风设施和轨道系统。
美国司法部表示，该隧道是在对圣迭戈奥泰梅萨入境口岸附近一家名为“买得更省”（Buy 4 Less）的疑似折扣店仓库展开的数月调查中被发现的，该店铺与墨西哥蒂华纳隔边境相望。
官员们称，行动结束时，警方在这家店铺下方查获了超过一吨可卡因和这条精密隧道。
“对这些被告而言，隧道尽头没有一盏孤灯，而是灯光与警笛齐鸣，”美国检察官亚当·戈登在一份声明中说道。
这张2026年6月1日发布的手绘图展示了美墨跨境贩毒隧道的楼梯，地点位于美国加利福尼亚州奥泰梅萨与墨西哥蒂华纳之间。 美国加利福尼亚南区检察官办公室/路透社供图
美国国土安全调查局隧道特别工作组于2025年12月开始监视这家名为“买得更省”的疑似店铺，联邦官员称，当时他们发现有一批新的疑似雇员在店铺内外活动。
监视店铺的联邦官员指出：“在监视过程中，‘买得更省’门店周边的活动看起来与正常零售店不符。例如，调查人员观察到进出该店的顾客客流量极少。”
据司法部称，监控显示这些雇员涉嫌乘坐汽车，有时甚至徒手将看起来空空如也的行李箱带过边境进入蒂华纳。
不过，联邦特工直到5月29日才采取行动，当时他们目击有人将“大型重物”搬进店铺外的一辆白色厢式货车。官员们称，这辆货车驶离店铺后，停在了不远处的一条街道上。
随后，监控显示一名骑自行车的男子骑车来到货车旁，从油箱盖附近的隐秘位置取出钥匙，将这辆货车与另一辆厢式货车首尾相连。司法部表示，另有一辆大型货车驶抵这些货车旁，装载着包裹的大型冷冻柜在车辆之间完成了转运。
据司法部称，圣迭戈县副警长随后采取行动捣毁了该贩毒网络。与此同时，特工们目击另一辆货车正在“买得更省”门店内装载包裹，该车在离开停车场后不久也被警方截停。
这张2026年6月2日由路透社获得的手播视频截图显示了美国当局查获的装有可卡因包装袋的货箱，当时美墨跨境贩毒隧道被发现，拍摄地点未知。 美国加利福尼亚南区检察官办公室/路透社供图
最终，联邦官员称，在被截停的三辆车内共查获超过2269磅可卡因。
司法部获得了搜查令对“买得更省”门店展开调查，随后在该建筑一间储藏室的地板下发现了隧道出口。司法部表示，这条隧道最深可达55英尺，向美墨边境延伸了1000多英尺，在墨西哥一侧还继续延伸了800多英尺。
来自圣迭戈的29岁格雷戈里奥·埃皮法尼奥·埃尔南德斯·洛佩斯、32岁的圣迭戈人何塞·希门尼斯、墨西哥籍18岁的安东尼奥·科尔特斯以及26岁的墨西哥人布兰登·埃斯卡兰特·桑多瓦尔已被捕，并被控分销受控物质。埃尔南德斯·洛佩斯还面临建造、资助或使用未经授权隧道以及进口受控物质的指控。如果罪名成立，四人最高将面临终身监禁。
“此次调查和缉毒行动对哈利斯科新一代贩毒集团造成了沉重打击，”美国国土安全调查局圣迭戈分局代理主管凯文·墨菲在一份声明中说道。“这座精密跨境隧道的发现与捣毁，以及超过一吨可卡因的缴获，彰显了国土安全调查局及其国土安全特别工作组（HSTF）合作伙伴的决心与协作。”
Video shows massive drug-smuggling tunnel connecting U.S. and Mexico
2026-06-02 1:05 PM EDT / CBS News
By Mark Osborne
Four people have been arrested and charged with trafficking more than $45 million in cocaine through an elaborate 2,000-foot-long tunnel between border cities in Mexico and California, complete with electricity, reinforced walls, ventilation and a rail system, according to federal officials.
The tunnel was discovered as part of a monthslong investigation into a warehouse for a supposed discount store, Buy 4 Less, located near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego, right across the border from Tijuana, Mexico, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
By the end of the operation, more than a ton of cocaine and the sophisticated tunnel underneath the store were found, officials said.
“For these defendants, it wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel. It was lights and sirens,” U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said in a statement.
A stairway of a cross-border drug tunnel between U.S. and Mexico, in this handout image released June 1, 2026, with location given as between Otay Mesa, California, U.S., and Tijuana, Mexico. US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California/Handout via REUTERS
The U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Tunnel Task Force began surveilling the purported Buy 4 Less store in December 2025 when, federal officials said, a new group of apparent employees was seen in and around the store.
Federal officials keeping an eye on the store noted, “During the surveillance, the activity around the Buy 4 Less location did not appear to be consistent with a normal retail location. For example, investigators observed minimal foot traffic from customers coming in and out of the Buy 4 Less store.”
The employees were allegedly seen taking apparently empty suitcases — based on how they were handled, according to the Department of Justice — across the border into Tijuana by car and sometimes even by hand.
However, federal agents didn’t move in on the location until May 29, when they allegedly spotted “large, heavy items” being placed into a white van at the store. The truck left the location and was parked on a street a short distance away, officials said.
A man on a bicycle was then allegedly observed riding up to the van, taking a key out of a secret spot near the gas cap, and driving the van back-to-back with another van, officials said. A large truck also drove up to the vans and deep freezers loaded with packages were transferred between the vehicles, according to the Justice Department.
San Diego County sheriff’s deputies then moved in and busted the operation, according to the DOJ. At the same time, agents allegedly watched another truck being loaded with packages at the Buy 4 Less store, officials said. That truck was also pulled over by authorities shortly after leaving the parking lot.
Crates with bags of cocaine seized by U.S. authorities, in an unknown location, as a cross-border drug tunnel between U.S. and Mexico was discovered, in this screengrab taken from a handout video obtained by Reuters on June 2, 2026. US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California/Handout via REUTERS
In the end, federal officials said more than 2,269 pounds of cocaine were found between three vehicles that were pulled over.
The DOJ was granted a warrant to investigate the Buy 4 Less store, upon which they found the exit of the tunnel concealed under the floor of a storage room in the building, officials said. The tunnel was as much as 55 feet deep and extended just over 1,000 feet to the U.S.-Mexico border. It continued on the Mexico side of the border for another more than 800 feet, the DOJ said.
Gregorio Epifanio Hernandez Lopez, 29, from San Diego; Jose Jimenez, 32, from San Diego; Antonio Cortez, 18, of Mexico; and Brandon Escalante Sandoval, 26, of Mexico, were arrested and charged with distribution of a controlled substance. Hernandez Lopez is also facing charges of constructing, financing, or using unauthorized tunnels and importation of a controlled substance. All four men face a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
“This investigation and seizure represent a significant blow to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel,” Kevin Murphy, acting special agent in charge for HSI San Diego, said in a statement. “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.”
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