Alleged Drug Trafficker Extradited To San Diego In Cross-Border Drug Tunnel Case

SAN DIEGO, CA — A man accused of operating a cross-border drug trafficking operation linked to a tunnel discovered in 2022 was extradited from Mexico and arraigned Monday in federal court in San Diego, prosecutors said.

Genaro Lopez, 54, was "a powerful drug trafficker operating on both sides of the border," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of California. Prosecutors said he operated from a Chula Vista stash house until investigators searched the property in July 2021, seizing 241 kilograms of cocaine, eight firearms, a bulletproof vest, ammunition and nearly $40,000 in cash.

Authorities said Lopez fled to Mexico after the search and remained a fugitive until he was arrested there in March and extradited to the U.S. on Friday.

Prosecutors said Lopez used a cross-border tunnel discovered in May 2022 beneath a warehouse in Otay Mesa to smuggle drugs into the country. During that investigation, authorities seized nearly 800 kilograms of cocaine, about 75 kilograms of methamphetamine and 1.6 kilograms of fentanyl from a National City stash house and vehicles leaving the property.

The tunnel was about 61 feet deep and stretched roughly 1,744 feet between Tijuana and Otay Mesa and included reinforced walls, electricity, ventilation and a rail system, according to prosecutors.

Lopez pleaded not guilty Monday to conspiracy to distribute and import controlled substances.

Lopez was being held without bond. He is scheduled to return to court Aug. 14 for a motion hearing and trial-setting conference.