BBC undercover filming exposes Indian pharma firm fuelling opioid crisis

A recent investigation by the BBC has revealed a troubling situation involving an Indian pharmaceutical company named Aveo Pharmaceuticals. This company is producing unlicensed and highly addictive opioids, which are being illegally exported to West African countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, and Cote D'Ivoire. The investigation highlights how these drugs are contributing to a significant public health crisis in these regions. Aveo Pharmaceuticals manufactures a variety of pills that are marketed under different brand names, but they all contain a dangerous combination of ingredients: tapentadol, a potent opioid, and carisoprodol, a muscle relaxant that is banned in Europe due to its addictive nature. This combination is not approved for use anywhere in the world and poses serious health risks, including respiratory issues and seizures. Overdosing on these drugs can be fatal. Despite the dangers, these opioids have become popular as street drugs in many West African nations because they are inexpensive and readily available. The BBC World Service discovered packets of these drugs, branded with the Aveo logo, being sold openly in towns and cities across Ghana, Nigeria, and Cote D'Ivoire. To investigate further, the BBC sent an undercover operative to Aveo's factory in Mumbai, posing as an African businessman interested in supplying opioids to Nigeria. The operative used a hidden camera to film one of Aveo's directors, Vinod Sharma, who showcased the same dangerous products that were found for sale in West Africa. In the recorded footage, the operative mentioned plans to sell the pills to teenagers in Nigeria, to which Sharma responded without hesitation, acknowledging that taking two or three pills could lead to a 'relaxing' experience and agreeing that users could get 'high. ' Towards the end of their conversation, Sharma admitted, 'This is very harmful for the health,' but added, 'nowadays, this is business. ' This statement underscores the company's prioritization of profit over the well-being of individuals in West Africa. The impact of these drugs is evident in Ghana, where local leaders are taking action to combat the opioid crisis. In the northern city of Tamale, a chief named Alhassan Maham has formed a voluntary task force consisting of around 100 citizens dedicated to raiding drug dealers and removing these harmful pills from the streets. Maham expressed the severity of the situation, stating, 'The drugs consume the sanity of those who abuse them,' likening it to a fire that intensifies when kerosene is added. One young addict in Tamale simply stated that the drugs have 'wasted our lives. ' The BBC team accompanied the task force as they embarked on a raid in one of Tamale's impoverished neighborhoods, responding to a tip-off about a drug deal. During their operation, they encountered a young man who appeared to be in a stupor, reportedly due to the drugs. When the task force apprehended a dealer, they discovered a plastic bag filled with green pills labeled Tafrodol, which bore the distinctive logo of Aveo Pharmaceuticals. The issue extends beyond Tamale, as the BBC found similar products made by Aveo have been confiscated by law enforcement in other parts of Ghana. Evidence also suggests that Aveo's pills are being sold on the streets of Nigeria and Cote D'Ivoire, where teenagers mix them with alcoholic energy drinks to enhance the high. Publicly available export data indicates that Aveo Pharmaceuticals, along with a sister company called Westfin International, is shipping millions of these tablets to Ghana and other West African nations. Nigeria, with its large population of 225 million, represents the largest market for these pills. According to Nigeria's National Bureau of Statistics, approximately four million Nigerians are abusing some form of opioid. Brig Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa, the Chairman of Nigeria's Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), stated that opioids are 'devastating our youths, our families, it's in every community in Nigeria. ' In response to the opioid crisis, Nigerian authorities attempted to regulate the sale of tramadol, a widely abused opioid painkiller, in 2018. They banned its sale without a prescription, imposed strict limits on dosages, and cracked down on illegal imports. Following this crackdown, Aveo Pharmaceuticals began exporting a new pill based on tapentadol, an even stronger opioid, combined with carisoprodol. West African officials are now warning that opioid exporters are using these new combination pills as a way to circumvent the regulations imposed on tramadol. Inside the Aveo factory, cartons of these combination drugs were stacked high, and Sharma displayed packet after packet of the tapentadol-carisoprodol pills, marketed under various names, including Tafrodol, TimaKing, and Super Royal-225. He informed the BBC's undercover team that 'scientists' in his factory could create new products by combining different drugs. Experts have raised concerns about the dangers of Aveo's new product, which is reportedly more hazardous than tramadol. Dr. Lekhansh Shukla, an assistant professor at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences in Bengaluru, India, explained that tapentadol can induce deep sleep, which may be so profound that it leads to respiratory failure and overdose. The combination with carisoprodol, which also induces deep relaxation, creates a perilous mix. Carisoprodol is banned in Europe due to its addictive properties and is only approved for short-term use in the United States. Withdrawal symptoms from carisoprodol can include anxiety, insomnia, and hallucinations. When combined with tapentadol, the withdrawal experience can be even more severe. Dr. Shukla emphasized that there are no clinical trials supporting the safety or efficacy of this combination. Unlike tramadol, which is legal for limited use, the tapentadol-carisoprodol cocktail is not a rational or approved combination. In India, pharmaceutical companies are prohibited from manufacturing and exporting unlicensed drugs unless they meet the importing country's standards. By exporting Tafrodol to Ghana, Aveo is violating Indian law. The BBC reached out to Vinod Sharma and Aveo Pharmaceuticals for comment, but they did not respond. The Indian drug regulator, the CDSCO, stated that the government recognizes its responsibility to global public health and is committed to maintaining a strong pharmaceutical regulatory system. They emphasized that exports from India are closely monitored and that recent regulations are strictly enforced. The CDSCO also called on importing countries to support India's efforts by ensuring they have robust regulatory systems in place. They pledged to take immediate action against any pharmaceutical company involved in malpractice. The task force in Ghana has been actively working to combat the opioid crisis, even burning the drugs they seized to send a clear message to dealers. However, the reality remains that many more drugs are being produced in India, and those at the top of this operation are profiting from the suffering of countless individuals.