The Russian mercenary Wagner Group has created an opioid empire in the Central Republic of Africa. The Wagner Group is a private military company founded in Moscow during 2014. The organization started in opposition to Vladimir Putin but after a series of bizarre deaths, leadership roles were taken over by the Kremlin in Moscow. The group now serves as a proxy for the government, now with a large base in the Central Republic. The Wagner Group has gained influence by trafficking tramadol, which is advertised as “cocaine for the poor.” Tramadol is used as a painkiller to treat minor ailments, but with a high enough dose, the narcotic acts as a stimulant. By establishing this opioid empire, the Wagner Group is creating influence in the Central Republic of Africa and expanding a monopoly on the country’s natural resources. Their primary ambition is controlling the country’s largest goldmine which produces 5 metric tons of gold a year, worth approximately 500 million dollars. The group is cultivating a monopoly through the trafficking of opioids and triggering a national reliance on tramadol in addition to inciting violence. Their influence is reflective of corrupt government and private companies opportunistically working with illicit substances at the cost of their citizens. Read more about the status with the Central Republic of Africa and how influence works in tandem with profit in the article at our LINK IN BIO. #opioidepidemic #drugs #seetheplanetchangetheworld #catalystplanet