Federal prosecutors in California indicted a Mexican engineer accused of designing and constructing a sophisticated underground drug tunnel for the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). The US Department of Justice announced on Friday that a grand jury returned charges against Luis Manuel Hernandez Victoria, also known as “El Ingeniero.”
Prosecutors alleged that Hernandez helped build a cross-border tunnel used by the cartel to transport narcotics from Mexico into the United States.
The charges are connected to a tunnel discovered on May 29, beneath a retail store near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry in San Diego. Authorities said the passageway stretched from Tijuana, Mexico, to a location identified as the former “Buy 4 Less” store at 2498 Roll Drive, Suite E, San Diego.
Authorities describe highly engineered cartel tunnel
Federal prosecutors said the tunnel had advanced construction techniques. The tunnel included reinforced walls, rail systems, ventilation equipment and electrical infrastructure. Investigators estimated the underground passage was approximately 1,933 feet long, 55 feet deep and about 4.5 feet high.
{{/usCountry}}Federal prosecutors said the tunnel had advanced construction techniques. The tunnel included reinforced walls, rail systems, ventilation equipment and electrical infrastructure. Investigators estimated the underground passage was approximately 1,933 feet long, 55 feet deep and about 4.5 feet high.
{{/usCountry}}The indictment alleged that Hernandez designed and constructed this tunnel for the benefit of CJNG, a Mexican criminal organization designated by the US government as a foreign terrorist organization on February 20, 2025.
At the time of the discovery, federal authorities seized more than one ton of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding $45 million, according to prosecutors. Hernandez is the seventh person charged in connection with the tunnel investigation.
According to public reports cited by prosecutors, Hernandez was arrested in Jalisco, Mexico, on October 15, 2026. Mexican authorities reportedly seized weapons and narcotics during the arrest.
US Attorney Adam Gordon said, “Hernandez engineered his own downfall.”
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Multiple agencies investigate CJNG smuggling operation
The investigation involves several federal and state agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, US Border Patrol, US Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Justice.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorneys Michael Deshong and Jordan Arakawa in the Southern District of California.
Prosecutors said Hernandez faces significant penalties if convicted.
- The charge of conspiracy to use a cross-border tunnel to import controlled substances carries a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment and a fine of up to $10 million.
- The material support charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
- The charge of conspiracy to import controlled substances carries life in prison and $10 million fine.
The case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, a multi-agency effort targeting criminal cartels, transnational organizations and smuggling networks.