Agents of the US Border Patrol have found a mystery tunnel between the US and Mexico that is almost 3,000 feet long. It has been suggested that the tunnel’s construction and use have a sinister intent.

With the development of the Hyperloop, Elon Musk has largely controlled tunnel building in the United States in recent years. Additionally, $20 trillion underground tunnels that would transport you from America to the United Kingdom in record speed have been proposed.

But officials in California have found a somewhat less advanced but maybe equally effective underground route that extends about 3,000 feet (914 meters) into Mexican territory.

Where was the tunnel discovered?

The lengthy tunnel, which took travellers from Tijuana to San Diego entirely underground, has now been found and shut down by US Customs and Border Protection officials, according to the Daily Mail.

The actual tunnel was expected to emerge close to or within a warehouse in Otay Mesa, California, and it extended about 1,000 feet into the United States. Agents from the Border Patrol found it while it was still being built, fully equipped with lighting, ventilation, electrical wiring, and even a track system for moving cargo.

What was the tunnel used for?

Mexican officials have served a warrant at the tunnel’s entrance in the Nueva Tijuana neighbourhood of Mexico, where it started inside a home, amid allegations that the tunnel was used to carry cocaine and other illegal products.

“As we continue to strengthen the nation’s air, and maritime border security, it’s not surprising that foreign terrorist organizations would resort to underground routes,” outlined Jeffrey D. Stalnaker, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Customs and Border Protection’s San Diego Sector, in a statement.

“Disruption of narcotics smuggling tunnels is critical to protecting American lives,” said Stalnaker. “I’m grateful for the exceptional work of the Tunnel Team agents who placed themselves in danger, as well as the cooperation of our Mexican law enforcement partnerts.”

Although the sophisticated nature of its construction and facilities seem to make it somewhat of an outlier, the federal law enforcement agency has detailed that since 1993, there have been over 95 instances of tunnels discovered in the San Diego area alone, making this particular incident just a part of a larger effort by criminals to move between Mexico and the United States.

Since its discovery, thousands of gallons of concrete have been poured into the tunnel to keep others from utilising or rescuing it.