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Beyond diplomatic pledges, a new report underscores how Texas has become a pivotal front in the fentanyl crisis gripping North America. The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), an independent Geneva-based research network, released a September report showing that Texas is both a gateway for fentanyl shipments heading north and a supplier of firearms moving south to Mexico.
The report, co-authored by Cecilia Farfán-Méndez, head of the North American Observatory at GI-TOC, shows that nearly one-third of fentanyl seized at U.S. border crossings comes through Texas.
“The joint statement by the U.S. and Mexico underscored enhanced collaboration and close coordination. The data presented in the report shows why these are not just words but essential pathways in tackling challenges that are transnational in nature and impact communities on both sides of the border”, said Farfán to TPR.
At entry points such as Laredo and El Paso, the average purity of fentanyl powder is more than 32 percent — far above the national average of 19 percent. That suggests much of the dilution and tablet pressing occurs deeper inside the United States, but the raw product first passes through Texas.
Officials note that traffickers exploit the sheer scale of legal commerce. With $1.4 million in goods crossing the U.S.-Mexico border every minute, smugglers hide fentanyl among fresh produce, auto parts and other cargo. Customs agents, under pressure to move perishable shipments quickly, struggle to detect every load.
If fentanyl flows north through Texas, weapons flow south. More than two-thirds of firearms recovered from Mexican crime scenes are traced back to the US, and Texas remains the top source in absolute numbers. Cartels rely on these high-powered rifles to guard production hubs in Sinaloa, Sonora and Baja California — regions the report dubs the new “golden triangle” of fentanyl and firearms.
The exchange has deadly consequences on both sides of the border. Revenues from fentanyl sales in the US bankroll weapons purchases in Texas gun shops, strengthening cartels’ ability to push more drugs north.
For Texas communities, the toll is stark. Border counties have seen a surge in overdoses linked to high-purity fentanyl. Health officials warn that unpredictable potency makes every dose a gamble. Nationwide, synthetic opioids now kill more Americans annually than car crashes.
Price data shows how entrenched the market has become. In San Diego County, a “point” of fentanyl powder sells for $10 to $20, while counterfeit pills go for as little as $3. Comparable prices are emerging in Texas cities from El Paso to Houston, fueling demand among younger users.
Enforcement Alone Won’t Solve It
The report cautions that enforcement-heavy tactics are insufficient. While U.S. authorities tout record seizures — including this year’s largest-ever fentanyl bust of more than 400 kilograms in New Mexico — such operations rarely dent overall supply. Fentanyl is cheap to produce, compact to ship and quickly replaced. Seizures demonstrate enforcement capacity but do little to disrupt the broader trade.
And without stricter controls on firearms sales in Texas and other border states, Mexican cartels will continue to arm themselves with ease. That combination, analysts argue, creates a lethal feedback loop.
For Farfán and her co-author Jason Eligh, the lesson is clear: fentanyl is not just imported but manufactured, diluted and consumed within an integrated North American market. Texas embodies that reality — a state where trade, security and public health collide.
