Indian authorities have implemented a ban on two highly addictive opioids following a BBC report that revealed their role in exacerbating a public health crisis in parts of West Africa. In a communication reviewed by the BBC, Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, India’s Drugs Controller General, announced the withdrawal of permission to manufacture and export these drugs.
The BBC’s investigation uncovered that a pharmaceutical company named Aveo had been illicitly exporting a dangerous combination of tapentadol and carisoprodol to countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, and Cote D’Ivoire. Subsequently, India’s Food and Drug Administration conducted a raid on Aveo’s Mumbai factory, confiscating its entire inventory.
Dr. Raghuvanshi’s directive, issued on Friday, cited the findings of the BBC investigation as the basis for prohibiting all combinations of tapentadol and carisoprodol with immediate effect. This action was taken due to concerns over the potential for drug abuse and its detrimental effects on the population.
Tapentadol, a potent opioid, and carisoprodol, a highly addictive muscle relaxant banned in Europe, when combined, can lead to respiratory issues, seizures, and fatal overdoses. Despite these risks, these opioids are prevalent as street drugs in various West African nations due to their affordability and widespread availability.
Public records of exports show that Aveo Pharmaceuticals and its affiliate, Westfin International, have shipped millions of these tablets to countries in West Africa. The BBC World Service discovered packets of these pills bearing the Aveo logo being sold on the streets of Nigeria and in towns and cities in Cote D’Ivoire.
Nigeria, with a population of 225 million, represents the largest market for these pills, with an estimated four million Nigerians reportedly abusing some form of opioid. As part of its investigation, the BBC sent an undercover operative to one of Aveo’s facilities in India, where they captured footage of the company’s director, Vinod Sharma, showcasing the same dangerous products found in West Africa.
In the covertly filmed meeting, Sharma is heard acknowledging the plan to sell the pills to Nigerian teenagers who are fond of the product. Despite acknowledging the harmful effects, Sharma promotes the pills as providing relaxation and the potential for users to get high.
Aveo Pharmaceuticals and Sharma did not respond to requests for comment following the BBC’s initial investigation. India’s Food and Drug Administration announced the seizure of Aveo’s stock and the cessation of further production through a sting operation. The agency emphasized its readiness to take legal action against entities engaging in activities that damage the country’s reputation and vowed to conduct additional inspections to prevent the unlawful distribution of these hazardous drugs.
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