It’s claimed Liam Payne had taken ‘pink cocaine’, a drug with a seemingly innocuous name disguising its dangerous combination of ingredients, before he died falling from a balcony in Argentina.

Before the accident, 31-year-old Payne apparently showed irregular behavior and needed help to get back to his room. It is reported that signs of the infamous Class A drug were discovered in him as worries grow about the appeal of the colorfully named narcotic, which dates back to the 1970s.

An anonymous Argentinian source with access to initial toxicology told the Guardian the singer had crack cocaine and methamphetamine in his system, among other drugs, when he died.

TMZ claimed in a partial autopsy that methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA were found, a cocktail also known as pink cocaine.

Clear signs of drug taking were found in the room, with alleged photos emerging of the scene. The drug saw a revival around 2010 in Colombia and has been spreading through Latin America, eventually reaching Europe. Presently costing about $99 per gram, the drug’s deceptively attractive name hides its immense risks.

U. S. Drug Enforcement Agents have warned of this synthetic substance making rounds in the nightclubs of New York, sold as an amusing party stimulant, yet its impact is anything but fun, reports the Mirror US.

The lethal concoction, typically mixing MDMA, ketamine, methamphetamine, benzodiazepine, and crack, often lacks genuine cocaine, contrary to what the name ‘pink cocaine’ suggests. (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The lethal concoction, typically mixing MDMA, ketamine, methamphetamine, benzodiazepine, and crack, often lacks genuine cocaine, contrary to what the name ‘pink cocaine’ suggests. The drug world has been alarmed by a surge in ketamine abuse, known for intense disassociative effects that can lead to terrifying episodes.

When combined with pink dye and white powder, this creates ‘pink cocaine’, also dubbed ‘Tusi’ or ‘Tuci’, which is associated with risks of amnesia and connections to date rape. Ketamine’s frightening aftermath can include unconsciousness and breathing issues, sometimes fatal.

Bridget Brennan, New York City’s special narcotics prosecutor, told CBS News: “It’s ketamine mixed with methamphetamine, ecstasy. It could be mixed with anything.”

She warned of the hazards: “It can put people into a ‘k-hole’ where they feel like they’re in a blank space like they are disassociated from their body, they’re disassociated from their brain, they don’t know what’s going on.”

Early this year, music producer Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones launched a lengthy 79-page lawsuit against Grammy winner Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, involving allegations related to the dangerous substance.

Reports have emerged accusing staff from “the butler, the chef to the housekeepers” at Diddy’s service of having to carry “a pouch or fanny pack filled with cocaine, GHB, ecstasy, marijuana gummies, and Tuci (a pink drug that is a combination of ecstasy and cocaine).”

Meanwhile, in a tragic turn of events, it’s been suggested that pink cocaine was found in Payne’s system at his time of death. A source alleges that dealers had been preying on the singer, sneaking drugs into his hotel room at a crucial moment when he seemed to be overcoming his struggles with addiction.

Early this year, music producer Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones launched a lengthy 79-page lawsuit against Grammy winner Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, involving allegations related to the dangerous substance. (Image: Getty Images)

The anonymous source, said to be close to Liam, told the Mail Online about Payne’s past attempts at getting clean with rehab stints in the UK and California and noted that Liam had been trying again, recently seeking psychological help in Florida from a psychiatrist. The insider shared: “He went to Argentina to renew his USA visa, where he had to undergo medical examination because of his history with alcohol and drugs. The results of the tests were good. Liam was 100 percent sober. But when he checked in at the hotel, at some point, someone there started giving him drugs.”

In spite of his efforts to maintain sobriety, it seems Liam was sadly taken advantage of, with those behind it driven by monetary gain.

In the aftermath of this devastating event, two employees from the Casa Sur Hotel, where Liam resided before his passing, are being investigated, reports The Daily Mail.

A cleaner and another hotel employee are said to have hidden drugs in a Dove soapbox, which was later found by the police. The authorities are now investigating any links to VIP drug suppliers as part of their ongoing inquiry into the death.

Liam has previously spoken about his past battles with substance abuse, which resulted in a life-changing 10-day stay at a Louisiana clinic in July 2023. During his time there, he focused on art and poetry, deliberately reducing his contact with the outside world.