By Adamu David
Indian authorities have banned two highly addictive opioids following a BBC investigation that exposed their role in a growing public health crisis in West Africa.
The drugs, a combination of tapentadol and carisoprodol, had been illegally exported by Mumbai-based Aveo Pharmaceuticals to countries like Ghana, Nigeria, and Cote d’Ivoire.
The country’s Drugs Controller General, Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, announced the immediate ban on all combinations of tapentadol and carisoprodol, citing their high potential for abuse and harmful effects.
The decision comes after BBC Eye Investigations revealed that Mumbai-based pharmaceutical company Aveo had been illegally exporting the opioid mix to countries including Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire.
India’s Food and Drug Administration raided Aveo’s factory in Mumbai, seizing its entire stock and halting further production.
The BBC, citing a letter it obtained, said Dr. Raghuvanshi noted that the ban was necessary after authorities examined “the potential of drug abuse and its harmful impact on population.”
Tapentadol, a potent opioid, and carisoprodol, a muscle relaxant banned in Europe for its addictive properties, are not licensed for use in combination anywhere in the world.
Experts warn that mixing them can cause severe side effects, including breathing difficulties, seizures, and fatal overdoses.
Despite these dangers, the drugs have flooded West African markets, where they are popular as cheap and widely available street drugs.
In Nigeria, home to the largest market for these pills, an estimated four million people abuse opioids, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The BBC investigation traced the drugs back to Aveo’s factory, where an undercover operative, posing as a businessman looking to supply opioids to Nigeria, filmed Aveo director Vinod Sharma discussing the sale of the pills.
When the operative mentioned selling them to Nigerian teenagers, Sharma responded, “OK,” and acknowledged that taking multiple pills could cause a “high.”
He later admitted, “This is very harmful for the health,” but added, “nowadays, this is business.”
The investigation found Aveo’s branded pills, such as Tafrodol, on sale in Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire. Publicly available export data showed that Aveo and its sister company, Westfin International, had shipped millions of these tablets to West Africa.
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The Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has long warned about the devastating impact of opioid abuse. Its chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, said, “Opioids are devastating our youths, our families; it’s in every community in Nigeria.”
In Ghana, community leaders have taken matters into their own hands. Alhassan Maham, a chief in Tamale, has organized a volunteer task force to raid drug dealers and remove the pills from circulation.
“The drugs consume the sanity of those who abuse them, like a fire burns when kerosene is poured on it,” Maham said.
One drug user in Tamale described the impact simply: “The drugs have wasted our lives.”
According to the BBC, authorities in Ghana have also reported seizing Aveo’s opioids during raids, with packets of Tafrodol burned in public to send a warning to sellers.
“We are burning it in an open glare for everybody to see,” said Zickay, a task force leader. “So it sends a signal to the sellers and the suppliers: if they get you, they’ll burn your drugs.”
Meanwhile, India’s Food and Drug Administration has pledged further inspections and legal action against those involved in illegal opioid exports.
“The agency is fully prepared to take action against anyone involved in illegal activities that tarnish the reputation of the country,” it said in a statement.
The crackdown follows a pattern seen in 2018 when Nigeria and India tightened regulations on tramadol, another widely abused opioid.
Following that ban, companies like Aveo turned to tapentadol-carisoprodol as a substitute, according to West African officials.
Dr. Lekhansh Shukla, an assistant professor at India’s National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, warned of the deadly effects of the combination.
“It could be deep enough that people don’t breathe, and that leads to drug overdose,” he said, adding that withdrawal symptoms were even “more severe” than those from regular opioids.
The Indian government insists it is committed to preventing pharmaceutical abuse.
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) said it is working with international authorities to prevent wrongdoing and ensure India’s pharmaceutical industry maintains its integrity.
However, public health experts fear that despite the ban, manufacturers may find new ways to exploit regulatory loopholes. As the fight against opioids continues, the lives of millions remain at risk across West Africa.
