This 'Painkiller' From India Is Fuelling A Deadly 'Zombie Drug' Epidemic In West Africa

Last Updated:May 14, 2026, 16:24 IST

Labelled as "Harmless Medicines for Human Consumption," millions of dollars in unapproved Indian opioids are reaching West African streets every month, shows AFP investigation

A powerful synthetic opioid manufactured in India is at the center of a growing humanitarian crisis across West Africa. Sold in unassuming blister packs at roadside kiosks, millions of tapentadol tablets are being diverted into the illegal drug trade. These high-strength pills are not only driving a stand-alone addiction crisis but are also being ground down and added to “kush," a lethal “zombie drug" that has already triggered national emergencies in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

What Is Tapentadol and Why Is It “Zombie" Fuel?

Tapentadol is a synthetic opioid intended for severe pain relief, but the versions flooding West Africa are dangerously potent. According to an investigation by AFP, these pills are often so strong that no regulatory authority in the world has approved them for general use. In a frightening development, researchers and health chiefs told AFP that these tablets are now being ground up and mixed into kush, a ferociously addictive cocktail that “hollows out its victims".

The impact on the ground is catastrophic. Ansu Konneh, director of mental health at Sierra Leone’s social welfare ministry, told AFP that the situation is “very alarming", with bodies being collected from “streets, markets and slums on a daily basis". In the capital of Freetown alone, more than 400 corpses were reportedly picked up over three months.

The Legal Vacuum: Why It’s Not Approved in India Or Abroad

The primary issue lies in the dosage. While India is the world’s largest producer of generic drugs, the specific high-strength (250mg) tapentadol tablets found in West Africa are so potent that India officially does not even allow their production without special permission.

Despite New Delhi declaring a “zero-tolerance" crackdown in February 2025, several firms have allegedly bypassed regulations:

Illegal Labelling: Some shipments were deceptively labelled as “Harmless Medicines for Human Consumption" to clear customs.

Banned Exports: In Nigeria and Sierra Leone, government officials confirmed to AFP that tapentadol is illegal, while Ghana stated the drug has never been permitted there.

Ongoing Shipments: Records reviewed by AFP show that even after the 2025 crackdown, millions of dollars’ worth of these pills continued to be exported to Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

According to AFP’s report, they had matched seized tablets in West Africa to Indian manufacturing license numbers, identifying several Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh-based firms. While the Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association defended the industry, stating that legitimate manufacturers cannot be held responsible for the supply chain after the fact, West African health authorities maintain that these imports are entirely “illegal".

(with Agency Inputs)