Wagner’s Remnants Run an Opioid Empire in the Central African Republic

Remaining Wagner fighters in the Central African Republic are reported to run a tramadol-based criminal network, using the opioid painkiller as both a commodity and battlefield aid. Investigations describe high-dose tramadol being supplied from abroad, moved along river routes, and sold through networks connected to armed groups and security personnel. The profits are said to bankroll control over gold and other extraction activities, helping Wagner-linked actors sustain influence beyond Moscow’s direct reach. Reports also link the drug trade to violence and expanded criminal governance.