NOGALES, Ariz. (NewsNation) — The Biden administration announced it’s moving forward with a plan to tackle the flow of fentanyl and other drugs into the U.S.

In recent years, there has been a sharp rise in seizures of fentanyl at the southern border, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

The administration is throwing millions at the fight against fentanyl as seizures of the deadly drug have increased in Nogales by 445% over last year, according to Director of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Dr. Rahul Gupta.

But some along the frontlines say it doesn’t matter how much technology is added to the ports, the cartel will find a way to get fentanyl into American homes.

This latest attempt by the administration comes as synthetic opioids kill tens of thousands of people in the country every year.

“The problem doesn’t begin or end at the border, it begins with precursor shipments from China, production in Mexico and then ending up in communities like right here in emergency rooms,” Gupta said.

Gupta made a visit to what has essentially become the epicenter for fentanyl seizures over the last year, with more than 38.8 million pills seized at the Nogales Port of Entry since October, according to the port director.

The Biden administration is following through on a State of the Union commitment to implement non-intrusive inspection technology along the border to the tune of 123 new large-scale scanners at ports of entry by 2026. 

“Why do you focus on the port of entry? Because that’s where the money is for the bad guys,” Gupta said.

As part of what Gupta calls the “president’s commercial disruption strategy,” the administration is working with Mexican authorities to make sure the precursors — the chemicals when combined that produce fentanyl — aren’t coming in the first place.

Gupta said they’re also assessing the entire global supply chain and nailing what is being referred to as “choke points,” hitting them to the point that it is no longer profitable to do business in the U.S.

“One of those choke points is, of course, working with the PRC — the People’s Republic of China — as well as the international shippers and consignment carriers to make sure they’re doing their part for precursor shipments,” Gupta said.

But while fentanyl seizures are up compared to last year, some who have worked extensively in the area said the administration should be paying more attention to what’s happening between the ports of entry.

“But that’s just a scratch of the surface of what they’re getting and I know there are other areas in the outlying areas that are being used as a smuggling point,” said Mario Morales, a retired Santa Cruz County chief sheriff’s deputy who is currently running for sheriff.

Sheriffs along the southern border have said the cartel operates as a business and is prepared to lose 10-12% of its product.

“Business-wise you look at it, it’s shrinkage. Something that they could let go and say OK, it’s part of business. Yeah, we got caught, but we got so many through,” Morales said.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said 10% of the drugs are coming into the U.S. between ports of entry, but the technology will not be expanded to checkpoints without an act of Congress.

In the meantime, Morales said it is only a matter of time before the cartel catches on to the new strategies on the U.S. side and pivots again.

“There are just so many ways they can do it,” Morales said. “I mean they’ve got scouts down there watching at the ports, watching you know, the change of shift. They’ve got this thing covered.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) told NewsNation that specialized drug interdiction operations like Blue Lotus are ongoing, and the agency continues to deploy and support crews working to combat drug trafficking.