As of late Tuesday evening, U.S. federal authorities were still searching for a U.S. exit to the cross border tunnel they discovered earlier this week between Tijuana and San Diego.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Spokeswoman Lauren Mack says the underground passageway runs more than 640 feet into the U.S. through a drain pipe. She says it goes further, where the people digging the tunnel veered off from the pipe and bore into the dirt. Though, she said agents hadn't explored that section as of Tuesday night.
Mack says agents found a luggage cart in the tunnel they suspect the diggers used to haul out dirt.
Federal officials say the pipe is 5 feet in diameter. They say there are puddles of sewage inside and the section someone dug is unsophisticated.
Mack says smuggling through the storm drain system has been on the rise in San Diego during the last year.
She says, historically, smugglers use the drain tunnels for immigrants and small quantities of marijuana.
