Aveo Pharmaceuticals’ Opioids Fuel Public Health Crisis in West Africa
An investigation by BBC Eye has uncovered that Aveo Pharmaceuticals, an Indian pharmaceutical company based in Mumbai, is illegally exporting unlicensed, highly addictive opioids to West Africa, driving a growing public health crisis in Ghana, Nigeria, and Cote D’Ivoire.
The opioids, sold under various brand names like Tafrodol, TimaKing, and Super Royal-225, contain a dangerous mix of tapentadol, a powerful opioid, and carisoprodol, a muscle relaxant banned in Europe due to its highly addictive nature. This combination is not licensed for use anywhere globally and poses severe risks, including breathing difficulties, seizures, and death from overdose.
Despite these dangers, these drugs are widely sold on the streets of West African cities, as they are cheap and easily accessible. In Tamale, Ghana, these opioids have become so prevalent that Chief Alhassan Maham formed a 100-member voluntary task force to raid drug dealers.
Undercover Operation Exposes Aveo’s Role
Using a hidden camera, the BBC sent an undercover operative posing as an African businessman into Aveo’s factory. In a recorded conversation, Vinod Sharma, a director at Aveo Pharmaceuticals, acknowledged the harmful effects of the drugs but dismissed concerns, saying, “Nowadays, this is business.”
Sharma was also filmed explaining how the pills could get users “high,” confirming Aveo’s awareness of the drug’s abuse potential.
Health Implications and Growing Concerns
Dr Lekhansh Shukla, from India’s National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, described the combination as “very dangerous” due to its ability to cause deep sedation, leading to fatal overdoses. The withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety and hallucinations, are also reportedly more severe than those from regular opioids.
Public Health Impact in West Africa
In Nigeria, the biggest market for these opioids, around four million people are estimated to be abusing such drugs. Brig Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa, Chairman of Nigeria’s Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), stated, “Opioids are devastating our youths and families.”
The BBC’s investigation also revealed that Aveo Pharmaceuticals began exporting these new pills shortly after Nigeria’s government cracked down on tramadol in 2018. With tramadol restrictions tightened, Aveo capitalized on the market gap by introducing the tapentadol-carisoprodol combination.
Legal and Regulatory Failures
Export data shows Aveo, along with its sister company Westfin International, has been shipping millions of these unlicensed tablets to West Africa. This is a violation of Indian law, as unlicensed drugs cannot be exported unless they meet the importing country’s standards—standards Ghana’s Drug Enforcement Agency says Tafrodol does not meet.
The Indian drug regulator (CDSCO) claims it is committed to global public health and promised immediate action against any company engaged in malpractice. However, Aveo Pharmaceuticals and Vinod Sharma have not responded to the allegations.
A Crisis of Addiction and Despair
In Tamale, as local task forces continue to raid dealers and burn seized drugs, the production lines in Mumbai keep running. Meanwhile, young West Africans continue to battle addiction, with many describing how these opioids have “wasted their lives.”
Experts warn that without stronger international collaboration and stricter regulations, illegal pharmaceutical exports like those from Aveo Pharmaceuticals will continue to fuel addiction and destroy communities across West Africa.