According to the Wall Street Journal, the Wagner Group has transformed into a drug cartel in the Central African Republic, with its main income from trafficking tramadol, a powerful painkiller. Analysts estimate the illegal trade could generate $180 million annually.
After the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin in August 2023, the Wagner PMC reportedly shifted its operations in the Central African Republic towards drug trafficking. According to the Wall Street Journal, the group's base near the Obangi River has become a hub for tramadol smuggling, with the drug serving as a cheap stimulant in high demand. Additionally, Wagner's fighters control gold mining and other resources in one of the world's poorest and most unstable countries. Analysts assess that the illegal trade could yield up to $180 million per year, making it a significant revenue source for the remnants of the group. The Kremlin has taken over many of Wagner's operations elsewhere, but in CAR the former fighters have maintained influence and integrated into local security structures.
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