India’s Opioid Kings: Pharmaceutical Firm Behind West Africa’s Drug Crisis Exposed

A shocking BBC Eye investigation has revealed how an Indian pharmaceutical company, Aveo Pharmaceuticals, has been illegally manufacturing and exporting highly addictive opioids to West Africa, exacerbating a growing public health crisis across the region.

The Mumbai-based company was found to be producing unlicensed pills containing a dangerous mix of tapentadol, a powerful opioid, and carisoprodol, a banned muscle relaxant. These drugs, marketed under various brand names, were being sold illicitly on the streets of Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire, despite being illegal in these countries.

In a daring undercover operation, a BBC reporter posing as a Nigerian businessman infiltrated Aveo’s factory and secretly filmed a company director, Vinod Sharma, who openly promoted the dangerous drugs. In the footage released by the BBC, Sharma admitted the harmful nature of the pills but dismissed the concerns, stating, “This is very harmful for their health—but nowadays, this is business.”

The crisis created by these opioids is evident across West Africa. In Tamale, Ghana, a growing number of young people have become addicted to the pills, prompting local chief Alhassan Maham to organize a volunteer task force to seize and destroy the illicit drugs.

In Nigeria, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), expressed grave concerns over the opioids’ devastating impact, stating that they are “devastating our youths, our families, and every community in Nigeria.”

According to the BBC report, Indian law strictly prohibits the manufacture and export of unlicensed drugs unless they comply with the regulations of the importing country. However, Aveo Pharmaceuticals has been exporting these opioids to Ghana, violating both Indian and international drug laws. The Indian drug regulator, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), has acknowledged the issue and pledged immediate action against any companies involved in such malpractice.

Nigerian authorities, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN), confirmed that operations are underway to dismantle the illegal opioid distribution network. Recent raids in Lagos and other cities have led to multiple arrests and the seizure of billions of naira worth of illicit drugs.

Public health advocates are calling for stronger diplomatic pressure on India to hold Aveo Pharmaceuticals accountable. Akinbode Oluwafemi, the executive director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), emphasized the importance of punitive action, stating, “If you don’t get punished for a crime, you will do it again.”

The BBC’s investigation has sparked widespread outrage, with calls for tighter international controls on pharmaceutical exports. As the crisis continues to escalate, West African authorities are intensifying efforts to combat the illegal opioid trade, hoping to safeguard future generations from the devastating consequences of addiction.