Indian authorities have banned two highly addictive opioids following a BBC investigation that revealed their role in fueling a public health crisis in parts of West Africa.
In an official letter obtained by the BBC, India’s Drugs Controller General, Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, confirmed that permission to manufacture and export these drugs had been revoked.
A BBC Eye investigation found that Indian pharmaceutical company Aveo had been illegally exporting a dangerous combination of tapentadol (a powerful opioid) and carisoprodol (a highly addictive muscle relaxant) to countries including Ghana, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire.
In response, India’s Food and Drug Administration raided Aveo’s factory in Mumbai, seizing its entire stock. The circular from Dr. Raghuvanshi, dated Friday, cited the BBC’s findings in the decision to immediately ban all combinations of tapentadol and carisoprodol, emphasizing the drugs’ potential for abuse and their harmful impact on public health.
A Lethal Drug Combination
While carisoprodol is approved for short-term use in the U.S., it is banned in Europe due to its highly addictive nature. Withdrawal symptoms can include anxiety, insomnia, and hallucinations. Meanwhile, the combination of tapentadol and carisoprodol is not licensed anywhere in the world as it can cause severe breathing difficulties, seizures, and even fatal overdoses.
Despite these dangers, the drugs have become popular street substances in West Africa, where they are cheap and easily accessible. Publicly available export records show that Aveo Pharmaceuticals, along with its sister company, Westfin International, shipped millions of these tablets to Ghana and other West African countries.
BBC World Service journalists also discovered Aveo-branded packets openly sold in Nigerian streets and Ivoirian towns. In Nigeria, home to 225 million people, an estimated four million individuals abuse opioids, according to the country’s National Bureau of Statistics.
Undercover Investigation Exposes Aveo’s Role
As part of its probe, the BBC sent an undercover operative—posing as an African businessman looking to supply opioids to Nigeria—inside one of Aveo’s factories in India. There, the operative filmed Aveo director Vinod Sharma showcasing the same drugs that had been found in West Africa.
In the secretly recorded footage, the operative tells Sharma that the pills would be sold to teenagers in Nigeria who “love this product.” Sharma simply replies, “OK,” and explains that taking two or three pills can help users “relax” and get “high.” Later in the conversation, Sharma acknowledges, “This is very harmful for health,” before adding, “Nowadays, this is business.”
Neither Sharma nor Aveo Pharmaceuticals responded to the BBC’s request for comment after the initial investigation was published.
Authorities Crack Down on Illegal Trade
Following the BBC’s revelations, India’s Food and Drug Administration launched a sting operation, seizing Aveo’s entire stock and halting further production. Officials confirmed that legal action would be taken against the company and that further inspections would be conducted to prevent similar illegal exports.
The agency emphasized that it is “fully prepared” to act against anyone engaging in illegal activities that damage India’s reputation.
This swift response underscores the growing international scrutiny of pharmaceutical companies enabling the opioid crisis in vulnerable regions.
Source: BBC.