"Zombie drugs" are devastating Africa.

Cheap pills from India are wreaking havoc in many African countries, as poor people easily buy them to boost their ability to do hard labor, and robbers and terrorists use them to "boost their courage".

Opioid-containing drugs, widely sold in Africa, are causing numerous problems. (Illustrative image)

Indian authorities recently banned the production and export of a class of dangerous opioid drugs, following a BBC investigation that uncovered illegal distribution of these drugs in West Africa.

Tapentadol and Carisoprodol are highly addictive drugs believed to be linked to the escalating public health crisis in Ghana, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast. They were illegally exported by Aveo Pharmaceuticals, a company based in Mumbai, India.

Tapentadol is an extremely potent opioid, while Carisoprodol is a muscle relaxant that has been banned in Europe due to its high risk of addiction. Neither drug is licensed in any country worldwide , and they can cause respiratory depression, seizures, and even death if combined.

The Indian Food and Drug Administration has pledged to step up inspections to stop the supply of these drugs. Authorities raided Aveo Pharmaceuticals' facility in Mumbai and seized all of its inventory. Public export data shows Aveo and its affiliate Westfin International shipped millions of these pills to West African countries, NDTV reported.

A secret BBC investigation revealed that Aveo's leadership was well aware of the drug's abuse. In secretly recorded footage, company director Vinod Sharma admitted to the drug's addictive effects and its widespread use among Nigerian teenagers.

Nigeria, a country of 225 million people, has one of the highest rates of opioid abuse, with around 4 million users. Opioids are currently the second most widely used drug in Nigeria after marijuana. The investigation found that drugs branded Aveo were being sold openly on the streets of Nigeria and in towns in Ivory Coast.

The widespread opioid use in Nigeria, coupled with the approximately 3 million Nigerians suffering from drug use disorders, exacerbates the already strained public health system and adds to social instability.

Several factors contribute to the increasing opioid problems in Nigeria, including the easy availability of opioid-containing drugs, often sold without a prescription, and weak enforcement of drug regulations.

According to experts, most people in Africa use tapentadol not for the drug to get high, but to increase their strength when performing strenuous and prolonged work.

Even kidnappers, terrorists, and armed robbers use this drug to carry out their crimes. Fighters from the extremist Islamic militant group Boko Haram also use it to "gain courage."

Tapentadol tablets are packaged in blister packs of 10, like any other common painkiller, and can be easily purchased at roadside stalls or street pharmacies throughout West Africa.

Health leaders and researchers in West Africa say tapentadol is also mixed into the "zombie drug" kush.

Kush, notorious for its rapid rate of bodily destruction, has caused national emergencies in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leonean officials said that kush mixed with tapentadol forms something "very alarming".

In February 2025, New Delhi declared a “zero tolerance” campaign against illegal drug trafficking, banning the export of tablets mixed with the muscle relaxant carisoprodol after a BBC investigation exposed their harmful effects in Ghana.

Subsequently, the Indian drug regulatory authority CDSCO announced that it had revoked all export licenses for “preparations containing tapentadol… that were not approved by the importing country.”

However, according to researchers, the main trade remains in pure tapentadol tablets.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/ma-tuy-zombie-tan-pha-chau-phi-post311068.html