An explosive investigation by BBC Eye has revealed the alarming role of an Indian pharmaceutical company in aggravating the opioid epidemic sweeping across West Africa.
According to the investigation, Mumbai-based Aveo Pharmaceuticals has been manufacturing and smuggling unlicensed, highly addictive opioids to Nigeria and other West African nations, exacerbating the region’s already dire public health crisis.
In the report made by India’s Opioid Kings, a new documentary from the BBC World Service’s award winning BBC Eye Investigations team, Aveo Pharmaceuticals, based in Mumbai, makes a range of pills that go under different brand names and are packaged to look like legitimate medicines.
But all contain the same harmful mix of ingredients: Tapentadol, a powerful opioid, and Carisoprodol, a muscle relaxant so addictive it’s banned in Europe. This combination of drugs is not licensed for use anywhere in the world and can cause breathing difficulties and seizures. An overdose can kill.
The BBC World Service’s undercover documentary, titled India’s Opioid Kings, uncovers how Aveo produces a cocktail of dangerous drugs under various brand names. These pills, containing the powerful opioid tapentadol and the highly addictive muscle relaxant carisoprodol, have been found widely distributed in street markets across Nigeria, Ghana, and Cote D’Ivoire. The deadly combination, which is banned in Europe, poses severe risks to users, including breathing difficulties, seizures, and fatal overdoses.
In a footage captured during the investigation, Aveo Pharmaceuticals’ director Vinod Sharma is seen discussing the sale of these harmful drugs. When confronted about the addictive properties of the pills, Sharma bluntly admits, “This is very harmful for their health — but nowadays, this is business.” His indifferent response reflects the dire reality of the illegal drug trade, where profits are prioritized over public safety.
The investigation traces the drugs back to Aveo’s factory in India, where an undercover operative posing as an African businessman secretly filmed Sharma explaining how the pills could be sold to Nigerian teenagers for recreational use. This clandestine exchange exposes the reckless business practices of the pharmaceutical company, which has disregarded the lethal consequences of its products.
Despite these revelations, Aveo Pharmaceuticals has refused to comment on the allegations. The Indian government, through its drug regulatory body, the CDSCO, has expressed its commitment to combating such malpractice.
The agency insists that it is working closely with other nations, including those in West Africa, to enforce stronger regulatory measures. However, critics argue that more immediate action is needed to curb the illegal exportation of drugs that threaten global public health.
In Nigeria, health authorities have expressed grave concern about the spread of illicit opioids. Pharm Shaba Mohammed, Director of Investigation and Enforcement at NAFDAC, emphasized the urgency of curbing the influx of these dangerous drugs into Nigerian communities, stressing that recent raids had uncovered significant narcotics seizures.
Despite strict regulatory processes in place for drug imports, the porous borders and corruption have made it challenging to fully control the opioid trade.
Furthermore, the Director of Narcotics and Controlled Substances at NAFDAC, Pharm. Yedunni Adenuga, underscored the agency’s efforts to control the importation of narcotics, citing stringent procedures for the importation and distribution of controlled substances like tramadol. However, unlicensed drugs continue to find their way into Nigeria, exacerbating the country’s opioid crisis.
Director of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), Dr. Taiwo Filusi stressed the importance of enforcing regulations on narcotic distribution, noting that narcotics must be handled only by licensed professionals. The PCN is working tirelessly to ensure that the law is upheld and that unlicensed individuals who facilitate the illegal opioid trade are brought to justice.
This investigation by BBC Eye is a stark reminder of the global consequences of unchecked pharmaceutical malpractice. As governments in West Africa and India grapple with the issue, the need for international cooperation and robust regulatory enforcement has never been more urgent.
The revelations are not a new phenomenon; this marks the second time BBC Eye has exposed pharmaceutical malpractice in Nigeria.
In 2018, a similar investigation uncovered how codeine syrup was being illegally distributed across the country, leading to the shutdown of several pharmaceutical companies and a nationwide ban on the over-the-counter sale of codeine-containing products.
