In the heart of Central Africa, the Russian paramilitary group Wagner is expanding its influence through a lucrative drug trade. According to The Wall Street Journal, the group has established what experts describe as an “empire of drugs” in the Central African Republic, where tramadol trafficking has given it a new momentum.

The tramadol in question is not the standard painkiller prescribed for mild conditions. Instead, it is repackaged and concentrated, transforming it into a potent opioid. Its potency and accessibility have earned it the nickname “poor man’s cocaine”—a drug that fuels both local consumption and cross-border smuggling.

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