An undercover BBC investigation has shed light on Aveo Pharmaceuticals, an Indian company engaged in the manufacture and illegal export of highly addictive opioids to West Africa, contributing to a significant public health crisis. This company produces various unlicensed pills containing a mix of tapentadol (a powerful opioid) and carisoprodol (a restricted muscle relaxant), which can lead to severe health issues and even death from overdose. These drugs are cheap and widely available, fueling their popularity as street narcotics in countries like Ghana and Nigeria.
Proceeding with undercover operations, investigators traced these drugs back to Aveo, revealing the alarming business practices of its directors who acknowledge the dangerous nature of their products but view them strictly from a profit standpoint. Communities in Ghana are deeply affected, with local leaders forming task forces to combat the rising tide of addiction. Reports indicate that roughly four million Nigerians face opioid abuse, exacerbating an ongoing health crisis.
Despite previous regulatory attempts to manage the use of painkillers like tramadol, Aveo has pivoted to produce this new combination of opioids, raising alarms among health experts. The Indian government has admitted the need for stronger pharmaceutical regulations while other Indian companies are noted to partake in similar illicit activities, threatening the reputation of India's pharmaceutical industry as a trusted global provider of medications. By putting profit over public health, these companies continue to endanger lives across West Africa.
