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Wagner’s opioid trade: how ex-mercenaries fund covert operations in Africa
Investigations reveal that former Wagner mercenaries in the Central African Republic rely on tramadol trafficking to sustain their clandestine activities.
Three years after the death of Evgueni Prigojine, the networks he established in Africa appear to remain intact. Investigative findings indicate that tramadol—a potent opioid painkiller—has become a critical revenue stream for former Wagner mercenaries operating in the Central African Republic.
Following the leader’s demise in August 2023, approximately 500 former Wagner fighters remained stationed in the Central African Republic, including his son Pavel Prigozhin. Since then, Russia has redirected many of the group’s international operations to state-controlled entities.
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