From India to West Africa: A synthetic drug fuels Boko Haram and destroys workers
The spread of synthetic opioids and cheap drugs
Written by: Mohammed Omran
West Africa is witnessing a worrying escalation in the spread of synthetic opioids Cheap drugs are highly effective, amid warnings that they could turn into a health and security epidemic threatening millions of people.
A synthetic drug fuels Boko Haram and destroys workers
International reports and investigations reveal the expansion of smuggling networks of these substances across borders, amid accusations against pharmaceutical companies of leaking large quantities into informal markets, exacerbating the addiction crisis and increasing pressure on poor and working groups, at a time when complex health, social and security dimensions are intertwined within the regional landscape.
A journalistic investigation points to the worsening synthetic opioid crisis in a number of West African countries, amid warnings that it could turn into a deadly epidemic threatening public health and social stability, especially with its spread alongside the drug “Kush,” known locally as ”zombie drug.”.
The proliferation of synthetic opioids and cheap, highly potent drugs
According to the investigation, these cheap, highly effective pills are traded in unofficial markets without any medical approval from any international regulatory body, making them among the most dangerous substances currently circulating in the region.
The investigation also revealed accusations against Indian pharmaceutical companies of flooding West African markets with large quantities of these substances, despite official pledges from Indian authorities to combat illegal exports, noting that some shipments are classified in customs documents as “medicines intended for human consumption.”.
Customs data, according to the investigation, shows millions of dollars' worth of highly potent synthetic opioids being exported from India to countries such as Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Ghana, where their use is strictly restricted or completely banned within those countries.
Experts believe that the use of these substances in Africa is not limited to entertainment or addiction purposes, but extends to include categories of workers who resort to them as a means of coping with hard work and difficult living conditions, reflecting economic and social dimensions of the crisis.
The investigation quoted specialists in medical anthropology as saying that these substances are used as a “performance enhancer” that allows for long hours of work, while security agencies warned that criminal and armed groups are exploiting their spread, as it is believed that some elements involved in acts of violence rely on them to increase their boldness during the execution of their operations, according to security and media sources.
Customs records show millions of dollars' worth of highly potent synthetic opioids being shipped from India each month to Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Ghana, where even low doses of the drug are prohibited.
