Former DEA agent: Cartels and China ‘will continue to benefit from US’s open border’

Derek Maltz Sr., former director of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), said that Mexican drug cartels and China will continue their “deadly operations” by abusing the open border. Maltz shared his statement in a September 2 post on X.

“The Mexican cartels built solid relationships with the Chinese criminal networks many years ago,” Maltz said. “They have expanded their deadly operations and will continue to take advantage of the U.S.’s open borders and soft policies on crime. It is sad to see Americans dying at a historic rate and there is still no sense of urgency! Where is the outrage when we have seen families and communities devastated across the country!!”

During his appearance on Joe Hoft’s radio show, Maltz discussed the longstanding relationship between Mexican drug cartels and China. According to a video clip Maltz posted on X, he said that the Chinese had been supplying the cartels with precursor chemicals needed to produce methamphetamine for years. However, in 2012, they turned their attention to fentanyl.

Derek Maltz Sr. message on X | https://x.com/derekmaltz_sr/status/1830652066756260198

According to X’s video clip, Maltz emphasized that “we’re not just talking about fentanyl right now.” He was referring to xylazine, a horse tranquilizer that is mixed with fentanyl, among other things.

AP News reported in 2023 that xylazine causes users to become lethargic and occasionally faint. It leads to difficulty breathing and a drop in heart rate. It also causes serious skin lesions, such as ulcers and abscesses, which have led to amputations.

“The bottom line is we have the worst crisis in American history, where we are destroying our future generation with toxic chemicals coming from China and Mexico,” Maltz said on X, adding that this is not the same illegal drug crisis the U.S. has experienced in the past. “We are talking about a deliberate attack on America by the CCP,” he said.

Maltz currently works for PenLink Ltd. as Executive Director of Government Relations, according to the Border911 website. He is also a team member of Border911, a nonprofit organization made up of border security experts who work to inform Americans about the border crisis. He was previously the director of the DEA’s Special Operations Division and served with the agency for 28 years. He continues to appear on newscasts, podcasts, and testify before Congress as an expert on border issues.