Yes, fences surround your base, and you can't purchase drug warehouses without them (since they protect your drugs and privacy). Definitely an important upgrade.
Sure, no problem. There are a couple options for cooking at lvl 1. One is to use the low level fruit with the blender in the cafe (you need to work there first). You combine tomatoes + carrots near a blender and it will make a smoothie. This works for other fruits as well. You can also cook shrimp from the meat counter using a frying pan and a stove.
For larceny, yes, you will find higher level drugs such as fentanyl, oxy, and more at the hospital as your larceny increases. Correct. You can also steal from ambulances, cop cars, and more to find other rare drugs.
Also, please spread the word about The Smuggler to any friends / family you may know who would enjoy the game! Thanks again for playing!