WSJ: Wagner has built a tramadol empire in the Central African Republic

Mercenaries from the Wagner Group still operating in the Central African Republic (CAR) have built a drug empire based on the smuggling and sale of the synthetic opioid tramadol, according to The Wall Street Journal. This activity has provided the group with a new source of income and strengthens their control over the country's natural resources.

Tramadol is a synthetic opioid used for pain relief. In large doses, however, it acts as a stimulant, which is why it has been dubbed "poor man's cocaine." While a typical medical dose is 50-100 milligrams, tablets containing 200 or more milligrams of the active substance are openly sold in shops and markets in the CAR.

The drug is produced in India, then transported to the Democratic Republic of Congo and moved along the Ubangi River to the Central African Republic, where its distribution is controlled by Wagner mercenaries.

Tramadol is widely used by miners to work long hours in gold mines, also controlled by Wagner. It is also used by fighters to reduce fear and increase aggression in combat.

The rise in tramadol use has also led to nearly a 20-percent increase in deaths on the battlefields, according to WSJ data. Citing data from Uppsala University, the newspaper reports that approximately 500 people have died in battles to control the country's resource-rich areas in the past year.

The drug trade has given Wagner a new impetus after several setbacks. In addition to direct revenue, it helps the group maintain control over gold mines. The Geneva-based think tank Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime estimates that Wagner earns $180 million annually from illicit gold exports.