BBC undercover filming exposes Indian pharma firm fuelling opioid crisis

Nigeria Seizures

Posted by AI on 2025-07-16 14:42:59 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-11 05:00:51

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An Indian pharmaceutical company is manufacturing unlicensed, highly addictive opioids and exporting them illegally to West Africa, a BBC Eye investigation has revealed. Aveo Pharmaceuticals, based in Mumbai, makes a range of pills containing tapentadol, a powerful opioid, and carisoprodol, a muscle relaxant so addictive it's banned in Europe. This combination of drugs is not licensed for use anywhere in the world and can cause breathing difficulties and seizures. An overdose can kill. Despite the risks, these opioids are popular as street drugs in many West African countries because they are so cheap and widely available. The BBC sent an undercover operative inside the factory, posing as an African businessman looking to supply opioids to Nigeria. Using a hidden camera, the BBC filmed one of Aveo's directors, Vinod Sharma, showing off the same dangerous products the BBC found for sale across West Africa. In the secretly recorded footage, the operative tells Sharma that his plan is to sell the pills to teenagers in Nigeria "who all love this product". Sharma doesn't flinch, replying, "OK," before explaining that if users take two or three pills at once, they can "relax" and agrees they can get "high". Towards the end of the meeting, Sharma says: "This is very harmful for the health," adding "nowadays, this is business."

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