3 arrested in connection with Liam Payne's death

Autopsy: Liam Payne had 'pink cocaine' in system

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong joins LiveNOW's Austin Westfall to explain what "pink cocaine" is after an autopsy revealed that the recreational drug was in Liam Payne's system at the time of his death.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the death of One Direction star Liam Payne in Argentina.

Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office announced the charges Thursday.

Payne died after falling from a hotel balcony on Oct. 16 in Buenos Aires. Toxicology results determined he had several substances in his body, including alcohol, pink cocaine and a prescription antidepressant.

Authorities said one person who was with Payne on a daily basis while he was in Buenos Aires is charged with abandoning a person following death. The second arrest is a hotel employee accused of supplying Payne with cocaine twice while he stayed at the hotel. A third person is also accused of supplying drugs to Payne twice during his stay on Oct. 14. The arrests were made after reviewing more than 800 hours of video footage, investigators said.

Singer Liam Payne attends the World Premiere of "I Am Bolt" at Odeon Leicester Square on November 28, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Expand

Payne was a beloved member of One Direction, which formed in 2010 after its members — Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik — auditioned for "The X-Factor" as solo acts and were brought together by judge Simon Cowell. With their loyal fan base of "Directioners" they became one of the most successful boy bands of all time.

Shortly before he died, staff at the hotel where Payne was staying called the police with concerns about a guest who they say was "overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol." Police rushed to the hotel and arrived just minutes before the fall.

The hotel manager told 911 that the guest was "destroying the entire room" and added, "We need you to send someone, please." The manager’s voice became more anxious as the call went on, noting the room had a balcony.

Just over a week after his death, a police special investigations unit went to the hotel and seized items including computer hard drives and footage from hotel cameras.

What is pink cocaine?

Pink cocaine, also known as "tusi," has been connected to drug seizures and, in some cases, is being trafficked by the notorious Venezuelan migrant gang Tren de Argua, FOX 5 New York reported.

Multiple drug checking studies have found that the majority of tusi samples contain ketamine, often combined with methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methamphetamine, cocaine, opioids, and/or new psychoactive substances, according to the National Library of Science.

The bright-colored powder has been gaining popularity among the nightlife scene in New York City because of its low price and it is even being trafficked and sold in underground venues.

While the mystery powder is pink, narcotics experts tell FOX 5 New York that there is only a small amount (if any) of cocaine in it, and this makes it tough to determine what other drugs or chemicals are inside of it.