What is pink cocaine? Autopsy finds drug in Liam Payne’s body

SALT LAKE CITY (KTVX/KUCW) — A partial autopsy conducted on former One Direction singer Liam Payne found multiple substances in his system after he fell to his death from the third-floor balcony of a hotel room in Argentina last week, according to a new report from ABC News.

Among them were cocaine, benzodiazepine, crack and something known as “pink cocaine.”

What is pink cocaine?

Despite its name, pink cocaine does not actually have any cocaine in it.

The National Capital Poison Center describes the drug as a powdered cocktail of drugs, typically including ecstasy, ketamine, caffeine and a psychedelic drug known as 2-CB. The drug can also be referred to as Tusi — a phonetic translation of “2C” — and often comes in the form of a vibrant pink powder. The color reportedly comes from the addition of colored dye and sometimes from strawberry flavoring.

The National Capital Poison Center (NCPC) said pink cocaine is not as addictive as other drugs such as opioids or fentanyl but can have some potential for addiction.

Poison Control said pink cocaine is often used in a party or club setting and can cause a variety of effects including hallucinations, anxiety, elevated body temperature, increased heart rate and nausea, among other side effects.

“Physical and sexual assaults, as well as traumatic injuries, have occurred when people are impaired by this type of drug,” the NCPC warns. “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.”

Liam Payne’s death

Moments before Liam Payne’s death, hotel staff called the police in Buenos Aires reporting an “aggressive man” who was believed to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The hotel manager could be heard on a 911 call obtained by the Associated Press saying there was a guest “destroying the entire room.”

Responding officers arrived just as Payne had “thrown himself” from the balcony of his room, according to a spokesperson for the Security Ministry of Buenos Aires municipality. Authorities said Payne suffered “very serious injuries” in the fall and there was no possibility of resuscitation. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A preliminary autopsy report had concluded Payne died of “multiple traumas” as well as “internal and external bleeding” caused by the fall. Buenos Aires police reported finding Payne’s hotel room in “complete disarray” with several drugs scattered about. Sources told ABC News that police also found an improvised aluminum pipe to ingest drugs.

ABC News, The Associated Press, and Nexstar Media contributed to this report.