It has been revealed by BBC Eye investigation that an Indian pharmaceutical company is manufacturing unlicensed extremely addictive opioids and unlawfully shipping them to Ghana and other African countries.
The Indian pharma firm Aveo Pharmaceuticals based in Mumbai is making a range of pills to look like legitimate medicines.
The information revealed green pills labelled Tafrodol with the packets stamped with the distinctive logo of Aveo Pharmaceuticals.
According to the information gathered, the pills comprise the same harmful mix of ingredients: tapentadol, a powerful opioid, and carisoprodol, a muscle relaxant which has been banned in Europe.
The drugs according to reports are not licensed anywhere in the world and cause breathing difficulties and seizures.
These drugs have however found their way to the streets of Ghana and other West African countries like Nigeria, and Cote d’Ivoire.
The BBC undercover operative inside Aveo’s factory in India in a secretly recorded footage revealed Aveo’s director, Vinod Sharma plans to sell the pills to teenagers in Nigeria.
Vinod Sharma in the recording stated, “Who all love this product”. Sharma doesn’t flinch. “OK,” he replies, before explaining that if users take two or three pills at once, they can “relax” and agrees they can get “high”.
Sharma further admitted it was harmful toward the end of the recording,”This is very harmful to the health,” adding “Nowadays, this is business.”
In northern Ghana, the city of Tamale many young people are taking illegal opioids with the chiefs creating a task force to raid drug dealers.
The chief stated, “The drugs consume the sanity of those who abuse them,” says Maham, “like a fire burns when kerosene is poured on it.” One addict in Tamale put it even more simply. The drugs, he said, have “wasted our lives”.
Aveo Pharmaceuticals, along with a sister company called Westfin International, is shipping millions of these tablets to Ghana and other West African countries.
In Tamale, Ghana, some of the Aveo’s Tafrodol has been reported gathered and burnt.
“We are burning it in an open glare for everybody to see, so it sends a signal to the sellers and the suppliers: if they get you, they’ll burn your drugs”, said Zickay, one of the leaders.
Meanwhile, as Ghanaians and other Africans youths get addicted to these pills the sellers and suppliers at the top of this chain in India are making millions more pills and getting rich on the back of African youths suffering.
