India chokes supply of its havoc-wreaking 'terror drug'

The article written by Senior Journalist Sanjib K Baruah highlights that illicit supply of tramadol from India to foreign countries is showing signs of slowing down. Two key reports on illicit drugs, both released last week—the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report 2020 (INCSR) and the INCB Annual Report 2019—have concluded that Indian government action in 2018 has been able to throttle the supply of tramadol to a large extent.

New Delhi: It is the dangerously potent and addictive drug that has made India infamous in many countries across Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America. But now, in a very recent trend that will bring big relief for many countries across the world that are combating drug addiction, the illicit supply of tramadol from India to foreign countries is showing signs of slowing down.

Besides addicts, the pain-killing tramadol has been used by terrorists in many conflict zones in Asia and Africa like the dreaded ‘Boko Haram’ outfit in Nigeria which styles itself as the Islamic State (IS) in neighbouring Chad and Niger. There are also reports of bags of tramadol pills being seized from captured or killed ISIS fighters.

For years, the 'made-in-India' tramadol has been on the rampage across Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America with the helpless governments looking by. In Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Libya, Benin and South Africa, are among the worst-affected with large numbers of the youth addicted to tramadol.

The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) says in its latest annual report released last week, 'Illicit tramadol sales have previously been associated with the funding of violent extremist groups operating in parts of Africa.”

Tramadol (chemical name tramadol hydrochloride), mostly manufactured in factories—licit and illicit—from Punjab to Gujarat is known by different names across different geographies. ‘Chill pills’, ‘trammies’, ‘ultras’, ‘tomatoes’ in Cameroon, the opioid-based generic painkiller is available as tablets and injections.

Used as a prescription drug to treat pain, it has been attributed with various ‘qualities’ including inducing euphoria, enhancing sexual pleasure and energy, while being oblivious to pain, tiredness and emotions. A former Boko Haram militant, Umar, had told BBC in an interview,“They tell us, if you use it (tramadol), you will be less afraid.”

Two key reports on illicit drugs, both released last week—the International Narcotics Control Strategy Report 2020 (INCSR) and the INCB Annual Report 2019—have concluded that Indian government action in 2018 has been able to throttle the supply of tramadol to a large extent.

The INCSR, which has been submitted to the US Congress, says:“The availability of tramadol may be slightly receding in certain countries within Africa due to new controls implemented by India in 2018, including limits to tramadol pill dosage and restricting over-the-counter sales.”

Egypt reported an 86 per cent decrease in the seizure of tramadol in 2019.

“This may be attributed to newly enacted laws in China and India that established restrictions on the exportation of tramadol,” the report adds.

The latest INCB report says,"India is a significant source of trafficked, falsified, substandard or illicitly manufactured products branded and marketed as tramadol that are seized worldwide. As part of the efforts by India to reduce such incidents, the Government scheduled tramadol under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, effective August 2018.”

“Following the changes in control measures in India, experts in Ghana and Nigeria noted a significant decline in large seizures of tramadol and a corresponding increase in prices for tramadol tablets in the illicit market.”

Before 2018, the production and export of tramadol was regulated by the India Drugs and Cosmetic Rule of 1945, making for lax government regulations.

India’s changes in drug laws gives more powers to law enforcement authorities and, in particular, enables authorities to enter the premises of tramadol laboratories and prosecute those who are engaging in the unauthorized manufacture of tramadol.

India is the biggest legal manufacturer of generic drugs in the world. In 2019, it exported more than $19 billion of licit pharmaceutical drugs.

“This commercial infrastructure—and India’s rare combination of technical expertise and chemical source supplies—is exploited by drug traffickers to source dangerous synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals destined for markets in the United States and elsewhere,” the INCSR adds.