Why Border Walls Won’t Stop Fentanyl: Smarter Solutions to Combat Cartels

Fentanyl Drug Cartels

Fentanyl and the powerful cartels behind it present one of the most dangerous security and public health threats of our time. Yet billions continue to be poured into building border walls—without solving the real problem.

As former mayor of a border city in Arizona, Director of the Arizona Department of Commerce, and Chief of Staff at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, I’ve seen firsthand how cartels evolve. Now, as CEO of Intermestic Partners—an international business advisory firm founded in 2011 specializing in cross-border trade and development—I help companies and policymakers navigate these complex challenges.

How Cartels Move Fentanyl

Fentanyl—a synthetic opioid up to 50x stronger than heroin—is often manufactured cheaply in Mexico and China before being trafficked into the U.S. Mexican cartels have built highly adaptable smuggling operations that evolve faster than physical security can keep up.

They exploit:

• Ports of entry, where most fentanyl enters

• Tunnels beneath the border

• Ultralight aircraft, drones, and submarines

• Complex financial and logistical networks

Why the Border Wall Fails

Despite billions spent, walls are not stopping fentanyl. According to multiple studies, most fentanyl is trafficked through legal checkpoints—not remote desert crossings where walls stand.

Over 90% of fentanyl seizures occur at legal points of entry, not in the areas where border walls are built.

Even with Arizona’s heavily fortified border, cartels quickly shifted to air, sea, and underground routes—highlighting the wall’s limited value.

Smarter Solutions to Disrupt Cartels

Fighting cartels requires multi-pronged strategies, not symbolic barriers:

1️⃣ Reduce Domestic Demand

• Public education on opioid risks

• Expanded addiction treatment and rehab

• Smarter drug policy reforms

2️⃣ Modernize Ports of Entry

• Advanced scanning technologies

• Mobile inspection units

• Better-trained interdiction teams

3️⃣ Deploy Cutting-Edge Surveillance

• AI-powered ground sensors

• Radar and infrared cameras

• Predictive analytics for trafficking patterns

4️⃣ Strengthen Intelligence Sharing

• Cross-agency and cross-border coordination

• Real-time data sharing

• Joint task forces targeting supply chains

The Path Forward

The idea that walls alone can stop fentanyl is dangerously outdated. We need to invest in technology, intelligence, and public health if we are serious about dismantling the cartels.

At Intermestic Partners, we work with top national and international companies to design cross-border solutions that blend security, policy, and economic stability. This isn’t just about protecting borders—it’s about protecting lives.

Let’s Build Smarter Solutions

The fentanyl crisis demands action grounded in reality, not politics. We must outthink, not just outspend, these organizations.

Partner with Intermestic Partners to explore strategic, actionable solutions that address both sides of the border. Together, we can build safer, more resilient communities.