India has banned the production and export of two powerful opioids following a BBC investigation that exposed their role in a public health crisis in West Africa. The drugs, tapentadol and carisoprodol, were found to be contributing to widespread addiction in countries like Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire, where they are commonly abused as street drugs.
The decision was announced by Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, India’s Drugs Controller General, who cited the BBC’s findings as a key reason for the ban. In his statement, Dr. Raghuvanshi emphasized that the combination of tapentadol, a potent opioid, and carisoprodol, a highly addictive muscle relaxant banned in Europe, posed severe risks to public health. Indian authorities ordered the immediate cessation of the manufacturing and export of these drugs to prevent further harm.
The BBC investigation revealed that Aveo Pharmaceuticals, based in Mumbai, was illegally exporting these drugs in large quantities to West African countries. Packaged under various brand names to appear as legitimate medicines, these opioids were being distributed even though the combination is not approved for medical use anywhere in the world. Health experts warn that taking tapentadol and carisoprodol together can cause serious health issues, including breathing difficulties, seizures, and potentially fatal overdoses.
Following the report, Indian authorities raided Aveo’s factory in Mumbai and seized all available stock. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in India confirmed that further legal action would be taken against the company. Secretly recorded footage captured by the BBC showed Vinod Sharma, a director at Aveo, admitting to the dangerous effects of the drugs while also acknowledging their profitability. Despite knowing the risks, Sharma justified the business, stating, “This is business.”
The BBC’s investigation also uncovered the widespread impact of these drugs in West Africa. In Nigeria, where an estimated four million people misuse opioids, Aveo’s pills were found readily available on the streets. In Ghana, the addiction problem is so widespread that local leaders in Tamale have formed task forces to combat the crisis. These groups seize and burn the drugs, which are sold under names like Tafrodol and Super Royal-225.
Community leaders like Alhassan Maham in Tamale described the devastating effects on young people, saying addiction “consumes the sanity” of users and leaves them in a cycle of dependency. During a raid in Tamale, task force members confiscated large quantities of Tafrodol, which bore the Aveo logo. The pills are often dissolved in alcoholic energy drinks to enhance their effects.
The investigation traced the supply chain back to Aveo Pharmaceuticals and its sister company, Westfin International. Publicly available export records confirmed that these companies were major suppliers of the addictive pills to West Africa.
The opioid crisis extends beyond Nigeria and Ghana, affecting other countries in West Africa, including Côte d’Ivoire. The affordability and availability of these drugs have made them popular among young people, creating a growing addiction problem. Health experts warn that carisoprodol’s addictive nature, combined with the opioid effects of tapentadol, creates a powerful dependency that leads to severe withdrawal symptoms and increases the risk of overdose.
In response to the scandal, Indian regulators have committed to stricter export controls and increased inspections to prevent similar incidents in the future. The Indian government stated that it was “fully prepared” to take legal action against any pharmaceutical companies involved in the illegal export of drugs that endanger public health.
The Aveo Pharmaceuticals case highlights the global challenges of regulating opioid distribution and the impact of cross-border drug trade on public health. As India moves to enforce stricter regulations, health authorities in West Africa continue to face the challenge of addressing widespread opioid addiction.
India = Green
Ghana = Orange
Nigeria = Blue
Côte d’Ivoire = Brown
Image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license and was created using MapChart(https://mapchart.net).
