Drug bust leads to discovery of cross-border tunnel

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol held a press conference Wednesday morning disclosing details of a cross-border found in San Luis, Arizona believed to be used for drug smuggling.

The tunnel was discovered inside a former KFC restaurant after a traffic stop nearby.

San Luis police stopped Ivan Lopez, a resident of Yuma, Ariz. and a canine unit alerted officers to two toolboxes that were found in the trailer of the truck Lopez was driving. Authorities said they found 168 kilograms of hard narcotics inside the toolboxes.

HSI’s Special Agent in Charge Scott Brown said authorities found 118 kilograms of methamphetamine, six grams of cocaine, three kilograms of fentanyl, 13 kilograms of white heroin, and six kilograms of brown heroin inside the toolboxes. The fentanyl alone could supply three million dosage units.

Brown said Lopez, who is also the owner of the building that formerly served as a KFC restaurant, had been seen removing the toolboxes from the building earlier that day.