How Wagner group expands in Central African Republic with tramadol trade

The Russian paramilitary group Wagner has carved out what observers describe as a “drug empire” in the Central African Republic, where its operations have gained fresh momentum thanks to a lucrative tramadol trafficking network.

Originally prescribed for mild pain, tramadol is being repackaged and concentrated into a potent opioid—often dubbed the “poor man’s cocaine”—and flooding local markets. Sources in Bangui report that Wagner operatives now control its distribution channels, moving the drug from the Democratic Republic of the Congo via river routes before selling it at inflated prices across Central Africa.

With around 500 fighters under its banner, Wagner remains a dominant force in the country despite the 2023 death of its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and the Kremlin’s shift toward the state-backed Africa Corps. In the Central African Republic, Wagner’s influence has only grown stronger, leveraging the nation’s weak governance and abundant natural wealth to expand its reach.