Former One Direction star Liam Payne had multiple substances in his bloodstream when he died, including a combination nicknamed “pink cocaine,” according to a toxicology report.
Payne, 31, had cocaine, benzodiazepine, crack and “pink cocaine,” a cocktail of multiple recreational drugs, in his system, ABC News reported.
Officials had said last week that Payne had taken “Cristal,” which can cause hallucinations, aggression and erratic behavior. Investigators believe a hotel worker may have procured the drugs for Payne.
A bottle of liquor, drug paraphernalia and anti-anxiety medication were also found in his hotel room.
Payne died Oct. 16 in Buenos Aires, Argentina after falling from a hotel balcony. Local officials said he jumped, but the circumstances behind the incident remain under investigation. The preliminary autopsy named the cause of death as “multiple traumas” and “internal and external bleeding.”
Minutes before his death a hotel employee called emergency services to report Payne was trashing his room and may be a danger to himself.
He was reportedly kicked out of a different hotel days before his death for bothering other guests and being intoxicated.
Marcos Brindicci/Getty Images
Geoff Payne (right), father of Liam Payne, aknowledges the fans at a memorial outside Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Friday. (Photo by Marcos Brindicci/Getty Images)
What is “pink cocaine?”
Pink cocaine is a mix of several drugs including methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA (ecstasy), 2-CB (a powerful psychedelic) and caffeine, but no actual cocaine. It’s also called a number of other names, including Tusi.
According to the National Capital Poison Center, the substance is powdery and gets its pink hue from food coloring. Artificial flavoring is sometimes added to the mix.
It is becoming more common in club and party settings and is not considered as dangerous as opioids or fentanyl, though those drugs have been found in pink cocaine samples.
“It is also important to know that pink cocaine may be contaminated with drugs beyond those mentioned here, so unanticipated effects can occur depending on what is in the mixture,” the NCPC says.
The drug was named in a recent lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs as one of the disgraced hip-hop mogul’s go-to drugs.
Last week, the Drug Enforcement Agency issued a warning for New York City as the drug grows in popularity since first being spotted about two years ago.
