1 of 4. U.S. attorney Laura Duffy speaks during a news conference about a newly discovered drug smuggling tunnel in the Otay Mesa area of San Diego, California October 31, 2013.
Credit: Reuters/Denis PoroySAN DIEGO | Thu Oct 31, 2013 6:58pm EDT
SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - Authorities have shut down a tunnel equipped with electricity, ventilation and rail system for smuggling drugs between a San Diego industrial park and Tijuana, Mexico, U.S. officials said on Thursday.
Drugs were seized, and three suspects connected to the operation were in custody and facing charges, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in a statement.
The tunnel, which was closed on Wednesday, had one access point in a warehouse in the Otay Mesa industrial park in San Diego and another in Tijuana, Mexico, ICE said.
Since 2008, more than 75 cross-border tunnels have been discovered on the Southwest border between the United States and Mexico, according to ICE.
The tunnels were almost all used for drug smuggling.
U.S. officials planned to release more details about the tunnel later on Thursday.
(Reporting by Marty Graham; Writing by Alex Dobuzinskis; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Gunna Dickson)
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