A recent investigation by BBC Eye has exposed an alarming situation in West Africa involving an Indian pharmaceutical company, Aveo Pharmaceuticals, based in Mumbai. This company has been producing unlicensed and highly addictive opioids, which are being illicitly exported to countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, and Cote D’Ivoire. These opioids are causing a severe public health crisis in the region.
Aveo Pharmaceuticals manufactures a variety of pills under different brand names, all containing a dangerous mix of tapentadol, a potent opioid, and carisoprodol, a muscle relaxant banned in Europe due to its addictive nature. This combination of drugs, not authorized for use anywhere in the world, can lead to breathing problems, seizures, and fatal overdoses. Despite these risks, these opioids are being sold as street drugs in many West African nations due to their affordability and widespread availability.
Investigations led by the BBC World Service have revealed packets of these harmful opioids, branded with the Aveo logo, being openly sold on the streets of various towns and cities in Ghana, Nigeria, and Cote D’Ivoire. The BBC traced these drugs back to Aveo’s factory in India and sent an undercover operative to gather evidence, posing as a businessman interested in supplying opioids to Nigeria.
During a covert meeting captured on camera, one of Aveo’s directors, Vinod Sharma, nonchalantly acknowledged the dangers of the products and agreed to supply them for profit, even knowing the harm they cause. The detrimental impact of these opioids is evident in communities like Tamale in northern Ghana, where a chief has mobilized a task force to combat the drug trade and rescue youths from addiction.
The devastating effects of Aveo’s pills are widespread, as similar products have been seized by authorities in Ghana and are also being sold in Nigeria and Cote D’Ivoire. Export data reveals that Aveo Pharmaceuticals, along with Westfin International, a related company, is shipping millions of these tablets to various West African countries, exacerbating the health crisis in the region.
Nigeria has the largest market for opioid pills, with an estimated four million Nigerians abusing some form of opioid, according to Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics. The Chairman of Nigeria’s Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa, expressed concern to the BBC, stating that opioids are wreaking havoc on the youth and families in every community in Nigeria.
In response to a BBC Africa Eye investigation in 2018 on the illicit sale of opioids, Nigerian authorities took action to control the abuse of tramadol, a highly misused opioid painkiller. The government enforced a ban on the sale of tramadol without prescription, imposed strict dosage limits, and cracked down on the importation of illegal pills. Concurrently, Indian authorities tightened export regulations on tramadol.
Shortly after the crackdown on tramadol, Aveo Pharmaceuticals began exporting a new pill containing tapentadol, a potent opioid, mixed with the muscle relaxant carisoprodol. West African officials have raised concerns that opioid exporters are utilizing these new combination pills as a substitute for tramadol to circumvent the regulatory measures.
In the Aveo factory, cartons of the combination drugs were stacked high, while Vinod Sharma displayed packets of tapentadol-carisoprodol pills marketed under various names like Tafrodol, TimaKing, and Super Royal-225. Sharma mentioned to the undercover BBC team that his factory’s “scientists” could create new products by combining different drugs.
Aveo’s new product, containing tapentadol and carisoprodol, is considered even more hazardous than tramadol. Dr. Lekhansh Shukla, an assistant professor at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in Bengaluru, India, warned that tapentadol induces opioid-like effects, including deep sleep that could potentially lead to fatal overdoses. Carisoprodol, known for its addictive properties, exacerbates withdrawal symptoms when combined with tapentadol.
Despite being banned in Europe due to its addictive nature, carisoprodol is approved for short-term use in the US. However, mixing it with tapentadol intensifies withdrawal symptoms, leading to a more painful experience. Dr. Shukla emphasized the lack of clinical trials on the efficacy of this combination, highlighting that it is not licensed for use in India.
Aveo Pharmaceuticals is accused of violating Indian law by exporting unlicensed drugs like Tafrodol to Ghana, where the combination of tapentadol and carisoprodol is deemed illegal by Ghana’s national Drug Enforcement Agency. When approached with these allegations, Vinod Sharma and Aveo Pharmaceuticals did not respond.
The Indian drugs regulator, the CDSCO, affirmed the government’s commitment to global public health and adherence to international standards.
In a move aimed at bolstering India’s pharmaceutical regulatory framework, authorities have intensified efforts to ensure the country maintains a responsible and robust oversight system for its pharmaceutical industry. Emphasizing the critical importance of monitoring exports to other nations, regulatory bodies have ramped up enforcement of recently tightened regulations to uphold quality standards.
Notably, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has been at the forefront of these initiatives, engaging with various countries, particularly in West Africa, to address concerns and collaborate on preventing illicit activities within the pharmaceutical supply chain. The CDSCO has affirmed its commitment to taking swift action against any pharmaceutical entity found engaging in malpractice, underlining its zero-tolerance stance towards regulatory violations.
While the focus has largely been on Aveo, an Indian company implicated in the unauthorized production and export of opioids, there are indications that other pharmaceutical firms may also be involved in similar practices. Publicly available export data have revealed the prevalence of unlicensed opioids and alternative branded drugs circulating widely in West African markets, tarnishing the reputation of India’s burgeoning pharmaceutical sector.
India’s pharmaceutical industry, renowned for its production of high-quality generic medicines and life-saving vaccines, plays a significant role in global healthcare provision, with exports amounting to billions of dollars annually. The industry’s pivotal role in ensuring access to essential medications for millions worldwide underscores the imperative of maintaining regulatory integrity and combatting illicit operations that jeopardize public health.
A recent encounter between a BBC investigative journalist, operating undercover to expose the realities of the opioid crisis in Africa, shed light on the complicity of key players in perpetuating the illicit trade. The journalist’s clandestine meeting with a central figure involved in the production and distribution of opioids underscored the callous disregard for the devastating impact of these activities, as profit motives eclipsed concerns for human welfare.
Meanwhile, in Tamale, Ghana, a coordinated effort by local authorities culminated in a dramatic raid targeting the distribution of Aveo’s Tafrodol, a potent opioid contributing to the crisis. The subsequent disposal of seized drugs in a public burning served as a symbolic gesture, signaling a resolute stance against drug peddlers and suppliers, and highlighting the collective resolve to combat the scourge of illegal substances.
However, the eradication of a mere fraction of seized opioids in Ghana starkly contrasted with the vast scale of production and distribution orchestrated by suppliers based in India. Despite localized efforts to intercept illicit shipments, the intricate network of producers and traffickers continues to thrive, fueled by the lucrative gains derived from human suffering and addiction.
As the global community grapples with the multifaceted challenges posed by illicit pharmaceutical operations, the imperative of international cooperation and stringent regulatory oversight becomes ever more apparent. Safeguarding public health, preserving the integrity of pharmaceutical supply chains, and upholding ethical standards remain paramount in the ongoing battle against illicit drug trade and its detrimental consequences on society.
