A BBC Eye investigation has uncovered that Aveo Pharmaceuticals, a Mumbai-based company, is illegally manufacturing and exporting highly addictive opioids to West Africa, fueling a worsening public health crisis.
The company produces Tafrodol, Super Royal-225, and TimaKing, unlicensed drugs containing tapentadol (a powerful opioid) and carisoprodol (a banned muscle relaxant). These pills, widely sold on the streets of Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire, are causing addiction, overdoses, and youth devastation.
Undercover footage captured Aveo’s director, Vinod Sharma, acknowledging the drug’s harmful effects but dismissing concerns as “business.” Despite strict regulations in India, Aveo continues to export these dangerous opioids, violating both Indian and West African laws.
Authorities in Ghana and Nigeria are struggling to curb the influx of these pills, with local task forces conducting raids and burning seized drugs. However, millions of pills continue to flood the region, exacerbating the crisis.
