Liam Payne died under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs, police say

Singer Liam Payne was found dead in his Buenos Aires hotel room on October 16. Photo / Getty Images

Singer and former One Direction star Liam Payne had consumed “potent” drugs that can trigger hallucinations and psychosis before his death at CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires last week, police officers familiar with the matter reportedly told TMZ.

City law enforcement claimed the 31-year-old musician could have been under the influence of “cristal”, an illegal drug available in Argentina that is “known to cause psychotic attacks and hallucinations”.

Officers explained to the outlet that “cristal” is a powerful and damaging substance that “causes users to experience extreme highs and extreme lows, often making them aggressive.” It is not known whether the police used “cristal” in reference to the drug crystal meth or methamphetamine, which is known by the name “crystal” in New Zealand, Australia, and other countries.

Payne’s behaviour, which police described as “erratic”, could’ve been affected by the drug and caused him to have hallucinations or panic, TMZ reported. This may explain how he came to fall three stories to the ground from his hotel room balcony, although investigations into Payne’s death are understood to be ongoing.

Page Six earlier reported Payne had been struggling with addiction problems before his death. A source told the outlet the singer “was battling a very significant drug addiction and his treatment, as those who knew him will attest, was not working.”

Pictures taken inside Payne’s hotel room were released soon after investigations began, showing a smashed TV, rubbish throughout the room, and burn marks on the furniture.

An LED television with a dent in its screen inside Liam Payne’s hotel room.

The photos also showed an unidentified white powder, bits of tin foil and a tea light candle strewn across the table.

As police continue to discern what happened at the Buenos Aires hotel on October 16, guests have started revealing what allegedly occurred on the day leading up to Payne’s death.

Rebecca*, A 28-year-old IT consultant from Washington DC, told the Daily Mail on Friday claimed she saw Payne “bashing” his laptop on the hotel lobby ground after he read an unwanted email.

“I went over, asked, ‘Are you okay?’ But he just kind of grunted. Then he said, ‘I used to be in a boy band. That’s why I’m so f***** up,” Rebecca said.

Another guest staying at the hotel, Michael Fleischmann, told outlet Buenos Aires Herald he saw Payne have a “tense” argument over money with an unidentified woman.

“I’ll give you $20,000 just because I can. I have $55 million, and I like to help people,” Fleischmann says he heard Payne tell the woman. He noted Payne “seemed very upset, agitated, a little wild, walking around and pacing, and seemed very energised.”

Geoff Payne, father of Liam Payne, visits the fan tributes for the late former One Direction member outside Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires. Photo / Getty

The death of 31-year-old Payne was announced on Thursday after he fell from the balcony of his hotel room. A police statement released after the incident occurred read: “Liam James Payne, composer and guitarist, former member of the band One Direction, died today after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Palermo”.

Payne rose to international stardom as one-fifth of the English-Irish boy band One Direction, who formed and placed third on the seventh series of The X Factor in 2010. The band soon became teen idols, often sparking widespread hysteria among fans. The group is one of the best-selling boy groups of all time.

One Direction sold over 65 million albums worldwide and netted four UK number-one singles and four number-one albums. His former bandmates — who include Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles — have all paid tribute to the late singer in the wake of the tragedy.