November 5th, 2010
10:07 PM ET

A look at task force that brings drug tunnels to surface

A 600-yard tunnel used to smuggle drugs between San Diego, California, and Tijuana, Mexico, was discovered this week through the efforts of a little-known law enforcement coalition called the Tunnel Task Force.

Comprised of agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol, the Tunnel Task Force has closed 75 tunnels in the past four years, officials said.

“We fill them with concrete,” said Border Patrol Agent Steven Pitts.

Pitts said the tunnels are elaborately constructed, with lighting, ventilation and, in some cases, a rail system to pull large amounts of drugs through the tunnels.

“An active phone was the strangest thing we’ve ever found in a tunnel,” said Pitts.

The task force functions with a high level of cooperation from the Mexican government, whom DEA Special Agent Stephen Tomaski credited with making the busts possible.

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Filed under: Drug violence • Mexico • U.S.
soundoff (11 Responses)
  1. Stefan

    I remember when Ronald Reagan was elected into office. He spoke of peace around the world. That the Soviet Union was a great evil that had to be taken down for the sake of all mankind. So when the Soviet Union fell, so went the peace. I have yet to even experience peace in my lifetime. If Reagan wasn't so bent on bring down the Soviet Union, we probably would not be dealing with terrorism on this scale. The balance of power was disrupted and now it looks as if we are constantly finding new enemies.

    So If you think about it, the only ones that have benefited, is pundit conservatives and republicans. They have increased Defense Spending two fold, in the name of National Defense. And I'm still confused on what all this defense spending really does to make me safe. We still have people willing to promote terrorism in the US.

    November 5, 2010 at 11:20 pm | Report abuse |
  2. WhiteKong78

    @Stefan: Reagan did not invent war and neither did conservatives. Kennedy got us into Vietnam and ratcheted up the Cold War with Cuba at the center. You may want to read up on the Cuban Missile Crisis before spreading leftist propaganda online. I'm only 30 and know we're being played by the 2 party system. It's called divide and conquer. Did you know that Vietnam was a war to fight against communist influence in Asia at the request of the South Vietnamese? Do you also know that Reagan managed to out spend the USSR and essentially bankrupt the communists without sending us to war with Russia? Nice little smear attempt though. The world has been at war for ages, but go ahead and blame one party for inventing war.

    November 5, 2010 at 11:32 pm | Report abuse |
  3. WhiteKong78

    @Stefan: If you're saying we need to reduce defense spending then I'd agree, but let's keep it an honest debate. Blood is on the hands of everyone in our government. Nothing gets solved because the sheep in our country have bought into the idea that the talking heads on TV know what they're talking about.

    November 5, 2010 at 11:36 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Shaq

    WhiteKong and Mexicans have Size Complexs.

    November 6, 2010 at 11:27 am | Report abuse |
  5. WhiteKong78

    Shaq fu can't rap. Stick to playing every third game under the rim buddy. 🙂 worrying about another man's "size" is clearly an attempt to mask low intellect. I have the number for a great therapist if you need one.

    November 6, 2010 at 11:58 am | Report abuse |
  6. kim

    Hey isnt this a blog about drug tunnels that so rude to go on about another subject who cares reagan is good and dead just like the soviet union. Stick to the subject Do you know its 2010 just wondering? Fill those tunnels with concrete stop the drug flow good job

    November 6, 2010 at 12:53 pm | Report abuse |
  7. kim

    Reagan is dead the soviet union is dead an over why are they talking about this an the subject is drug tunnels an the people risking there lifes to uncover and sill close the tunnels its rude to go on an on about another topic that has zero to do with thls blog subject i thought they screen this crap talk about the tunnels!

    November 6, 2010 at 3:46 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Miquel

    If our government can spend every $ they have on the military and spend even more money helping illegals here and helping Mexico IF they spend enough our Dollar will be worthless and wont buy expensive Drugs in the marketplace-there problem solved-–and we can keep the cheap illegal "HELPERS" that we let work here illegally and then they will be even cheaper-No Money and No drugs

    November 7, 2010 at 2:14 am | Report abuse |
  9. Jan67

    need a more drastic solution. I propose that a dead zone between the Mexican border and a 10 mile line into
    the US be
    established. Every building will be torn down. Think about how much time, money this would save.

    November 7, 2010 at 8:41 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Sharp

    Even though they are calling these 'Drug Tunnels' I bet that guns & people are being smuggled too. At least guns.

    November 26, 2010 at 10:05 am | Report abuse |
  11. cancuncatamaran

    Makes no sense to smuggle few poor Mexicans through this expensive tunnel . It is for illegal drugs and possibly other highly payed packages like dirty bombs to be placed in US cities of their choice.

    November 27, 2010 at 9:32 am | Report abuse |
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