chris lett

Storyteller • Polymath

[chris lett @kolmec]

It's official I am a National Geographic Explorer! I look forward to the content that this partnership will bring forth. My 1st stop #Ghana so stay tuned for updates and behind the scenes footage #natgeo @InsideNatGeo s/o to @itsnotiqbruh for the headshot! https://t.co/J6Cyu4W0kY

[DC Police Department @DCPoliceDept]

Critical #MissingPerson 15-year-old Destiny Rush, who was last seen in the 2600 block of Bladensburg Road, NE, on Friday, February 21, 2025.

Have info? Call 202-727-9099/text 50411

[chris lett @kolmec]

https://t.co/bBFqQd92Jh

[Bright Simons @BBSimons]

By now, many of us must have watched the BBC Africa Eye documentary about the crazy opioid crisis starting to overwhelm West Africa.

1. Recap: a chap by name Vinod Sharma runs a pharma company in India called Aveo that has "invented" a poison by mixing two powerful drugs - tapentadol & carisoprodol. The formulation has not been approved anywhere in the world and is thus GLOBALLY ILLEGAL.

2. Aveo and some other Indian companies are flooding countries like Ghana & Nigeria with this concoction under brands such as Timaking, Tafrodol, & Super Royal-225. They are also shipping in ILLEGAL, high-dosage, forms of tapendatol & carisoprodol as standalone drugs.

3. Vinod acknowledges candidly to the undercover journalists that tafrodol, for instance, is poisonous. However, in his words, "it is has become a business."

4. He further reveals that Nigeria has tightened its borders and Ghana is now the easiest channel to get his cute poisons into West Africa (food for thought for all you Ghanaians who think Ghana has the most superior systems in West Africa.)

5. I think I also heard him say that he can churn out 5 million pills at a go. Dude is a machine!

6. All the craziness above, something else , that was not discussed further in the documentary, is what truly blew my mind. Even before the documentary aired. It is Samospharma's role as Ghana's biggest opioid importer.

7. Customs data and intelligence shows that a large chunk of the tafrodol, tapendatol & carisoprodol batches imported into Ghana is financed by Sahelian merchants, mostly based in Niamey. However, one Ghanaian company stands head to toe with them: Samospharma.

8. By November 2024, Samospharma had imported more than $6 million of opioids and other drugs from PRG Pharma of India, for instance. It also imported perfectly legal "eye drops" from the likes of Zuche and Indiana Pharma.

9. As was shown in the documentary, Samospharma and its three founsers are the main business partners of Vinod and Aveo in Ghana, as well as of Aveo's sister company, Westfin. Of the $20 million worth of opioids that Aveo has shipped to the region in recent times, Samospharma was responsible for about 12%.

10. Why was I completely bewildered by this? Three reasons. First, the founders of Samospharma are behind acclaimed platforms like DrugNet, and have been industry advisors to Ghana's national e-pharmacy portal. They are respected in the pharmacy profession for their youthful acumen and public engagements.

11. Second, their core work at DrugNet and through various industry initiatives has focused on tightening supply chain and quality assurance, subjects that I know a bit about. Their involvement in this whole saga simply doesn't add up.

12. Most bewildering of all, they have NOT been smuggling in these opioids. They have been OPENLY importing them into Ghana. Attached, see a list of bills of lading covering some recent shipments. The Ghanaian authorities have been authorising clearance even though Samospharma hasn't registered any of these products with the FDA.

13. I was thus shocked when the authorities attempted to throw the importers under the bus in their interviews with the BBC. It is very clear that Ghana is happily letting these opioid through. Even now. Despite the loud protests about the addiction epidemic opioids are causing. Despite the occasional seizures and bonfires. Ghana's ports remain open.

14. What exactly is the national policy here? 🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️

[National Center for Missing & Exploited Children @NCMEC]

#MISSING!
Esther was last seen on February 14, 2025 in #Albany #NewYork.
https://t.co/NtwyACfjGL

[National Center for Missing & Exploited Children @NCMEC]

#MISSING!
Tanya was last seen on January 26, 2025 in Northridge, #California.
https://t.co/tJRoaysmx6

[The AWARE Foundation @aware_the]

***MISSING*** JACKSON, TN
The City of Jackson, TN - Police Department is attempting to locate a missing 36-year-old male. Joseph Cortez Mitchell has been missing from Jackson, TN since February 4th, 2025. Joseph who is also known as "Memphis" and "South Memphis" was hospitalized on January 31st, 2025, to be treated for injuries after being assaulted by a group of individuals. After he was released on February 4th, 2025, he went silent and has not been heard from since. He has a "C" tattooed on his left hand and "400" tattooed on his left arm. If you have any information regarding his location or disappearance, please call the Jackson Police Department at 731-425-8400.
#JosephCortezMitchell #missingintennessee #JacksonTennessee #TheAWAREFoundation

[National Center for Missing & Exploited Children @NCMEC]

#MISSING!
Joanisha was last seen on February 14, 2025 in Albany #NewYork.
https://t.co/KULE94b651

[DC Police Department @DCPoliceDept]

Critical #MissingPerson 14-year-old Egypt Dixon , who was last seen in the 1400 block of Fairmont Street, NW, on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

The incident was reported to MPD on Friday, February 21, 2025.

Have info? Call 202-727-9099/text 50411

[National Center for Missing & Exploited Children @NCMEC]

#MISSING!
Arveon may still be in the local area of Memphis, #Tennessee.
https://t.co/LKrDhaZ3YW

[Project Milk Carton @P_MilkCarton]

🚨 🚨MISSING CHILD🚨 🚨

[Baltimore County Police Department @BaltCoPolice]

#CriticalMissing 24-year-old Isis Natasha & Roman Johnson. Last seen in the Essex area wearing a white tank top, cream colored pants. Unknown clothing for the child. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 410-887-0220. #HelpLocate #BCoPD

[Project Milk Carton @P_MilkCarton]

🚨 🚨MISSING CHILD🚨 🚨

[Lammie_Art @Lammie_Art01]

It will cost $0.00 to help retweet my creative work ❤️

[Project Milk Carton @P_MilkCarton]

🚨 🚨MISSING CHILD🚨 🚨

[Blk & Missing FDN @BAM_FI]

#FindingFriday: #PoncaCity, #OK: Today is #JeremiahMoneta’s 23rd birthday. He was last seen on N Pine St & W Cleveland Ave on Jan 17, wearing a Kansas City Chiefs hoodie, jeans & work boots.

Investigators discovered that his bank account remains untouched & his apartment showed

[True Crime Updates @TrueCrimeUpdat]

MISSING PERSON USA - Cai Dantzier, 14

LAST SEEN: 3.00pm, February 14, 2025, 30xx block of Agate St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

APPEARANCE: 5'1", 113 lbs, brown hair, brown eyes

LAST SEEN WEARING: Black top, black sweatpants, blue & white scarf

🙏Please share to raise awareness
📣Please send message via X to request removal of post
👁️Source: Philadelphia Police Department X channel

[National Center for Missing & Exploited Children @NCMEC]

#MISSING!
Hermelindo was last seen February 3, 2025 in Saint Charles, #Missouri.
https://t.co/jI0KvfM2t9

[National Center for Missing & Exploited Children @NCMEC]

#MISSING!
Makil was last seen on January 30, 2025 in Concord, #NorthCarolina.
https://t.co/7y1LOO5Flo

[National Center for Missing & Exploited Children @NCMEC]

#MISSING!
Amir was last seen on February 10, 2025. He may still be in the local area of Mesa, #Arizona.
https://t.co/sSWztuMYpD

[Baltimore County Police Department @BaltCoPolice]

#CriticalMissing 13-year-old Jerome Cobb (4’10 90lbs). Last seen in the Reisterstown area wearing a glasses, gray shirt, tan pants, blue “Nike” shoes, blue backpack. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 410-887-6975. #HelpLocate #BCoPD