Man pleads guilty in drug smuggling tunnel case

The Associated Press
Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010

SAN DIEGO -- An Imperial County man has pleaded guilty to renting homes on either side of the U.S.-Mexico border to serve as access points for a narcotics-smuggling tunnel.

Eduardo Araza-Leon entered his plea to conspiracy and money laundering charges in federal court in San Diego Tuesday.

Araza-Leon admitted he rented houses in Calexico and across the border in Mexicali in early 2006 to hide illegal drug shipments through an underground passageway he and others planned to build.

Araza-Leon, who has been in custody for more than three years, says he took part in the drug-trafficking scheme at the direction of Mexican national Saul Ontiveros-Zamora.

He pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and money laundering in the case.

Federal agents discovered the tunnel in September 2006.

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/02/23/256019 ... gling.html