In the Arizona city of San Luis, just across the Mexican border, a 240 yard tunnel was discovered. It began in an ice plant on the Mexican side of the border and ran to a small business in San Luis. The tunnel was said to be fully operational with lighting and ventilation. Another tunnel was discovered beginning under a bathroom sink in a Tijuana warehouse but did not completely cross the border into San Diego. The agent in charge or the Phoenix Drug Enforcement Administration stated that some level of engineering expertise would have been required in order to complete those types of tunnels.
Over the past five years, over 70 tunnels have been discovered between the two countries. One of the reasons for this is the increased security on land, making drug smuggling dangerous. These underground passages have become a more efficient way to smuggle heroin, marijuana, and other drugs. The tunnel recently found in Arizona was only discovered after authorities stopped a man who had 39 pounds of methamphetamine in his car. When he mentioned a strip mall, police found the entrance to the tunnel underneath a water tank in the storage room. It is estimated that the tunnel cost $1.5 million to build and it is also thought that is was only finished recently. Click here to read more about this news story.
Drug smuggling falls into the category of drug trafficking. Not only in Arizona, but throughout the U.S., drug trafficking is one of the most common drug offenses. Depending on the type of drug, this could be charged as a Class 6 felony on up to a Class 2 felony. The individual could also be charged thousands of dollars in fines as well as put in prison for up to ten years. Need a lawyer for drug trafficking in Phoenix? For more information, please contact our team at MayesTelles PLLC.