The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has blacklisted Aveo Pharmaceuticals Pvt Limited, an India-based company involved in the illegal production and exportation of highly addictive opioid combinations to West Africa.
The pharmaceutical company was found guilty of manufacturing, selling, and exporting Tafrodol and Royal 225, which contain a dangerous mix of Tapentadol, a powerful opioid, and Carisoprodol, a banned muscle relaxant with addictive properties linked to overdoses and fatalities.
A BBC World Service investigation revealed that these drugs, carrying the Aveo Pharmaceuticals logo, have been discovered on the streets of Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire. In response, NAFDAC has officially banned the sale and distribution of Tafrodol and Royal 225 in Nigeria.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, stated that neither Tafrodol, Royal 225, nor any product from Aveo Pharmaceuticals has ever been registered by the agency. She also emphasized that tramadol doses above 100 mg, which the company allegedly trafficked, are not approved for medical use in Nigeria.
“NAFDAC has never registered Tafrodol, Royal 225, or any tramadol product exceeding 100 mg, which is the prescribed strength. As a result, we have BLACKLISTED Aveo Pharmaceuticals Pvt Limited under the provisions of the NAFDAC Act Cap N.1 LFN 2004 and the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs Act Cap C.34 LFN 2004,” Adeyeye declared.
Undercover Investigation Exposes Illegal Operations
Prof. Adeyeye revealed that an undercover investigation exposed Aveo Pharmaceuticals’ illegal activities. A secret operative, posing as an African businessman, infiltrated the company’s factory and recorded an interaction with Vinod Sharma, an Aveo official. In the footage, Sharma admitted to exporting large consignments of these dangerous drugs to West Africa, where they are distributed as street opioids.
NAFDAC’s Crackdown on Illegal Pharmaceuticals
The NAFDAC boss assured the public that the agency has intensified enforcement efforts against the sale of illicit and counterfeit drugs across major distribution hubs in Nigeria.
“We are working with regulatory authorities, security agencies, and international partners to curb the smuggling of these dangerous drugs into Nigeria through our borders,” she stated.
NAFDAC has also strengthened pre-shipment inspections for high-risk countries like India, improved post-marketing surveillance, and enhanced Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) inspections to prevent the circulation of substandard pharmaceuticals.
Public Alert and Call for Vigilance
Prof. Adeyeye urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and avoid unregistered medications. She called for public support in the fight against fake and substandard drugs, reaffirming NAFDAC’s commitment to ensuring only safe and high-quality medicines are available in Nigeria.
