Staff at the Buenos Aires hotel where Liam Payne died are being investigated for supplying the star with hard drugs in the days leading up to the tragedy.
The men are accused of smuggling various narcotics into the singer’s suite at the CasaSur boutique hotel in Palermo’s chic district.
A cleaner and another staff member are said to have hidden the drugs in the Dove Soap Box, which detectives found in 31-year-old Payne’s room after his death.
White powder, crystals, tablets and other paraphernalia were discovered in the third-floor suite.
Police have sent the chemicals – believed to be cocaine and crack cocaine – for analysis.
CasaSur management is said to have been informed of the unusual behavior of the unnamed men and has dismissed a staff member
A cleaner and another staff member are said to have hidden the drugs in the Dove box (above)
The One Direction star fell from a balcony on the third floor of the CasaSur hotel
Police officers stand outside the CasaSur hotel on Wednesday
CasaSur management is said to have been informed of the unusual behavior of the unnamed men and fired a staff member.
Detectives also questioned the man about his possible role in Payne’s death.
“There were two guys in the hotel who gave Liam drugs,” a close friend of Mr Payne has revealed.
“They sent taxis to pick up packages for him.
‘One of the boys worked in the cleaning department.
‘After Liam died they noticed that one taxi had been sent to the cleaner’s home address.
‘The hotel manager asked him why the taxi had gone to his house and when he could not provide an explanation he was fired.
‘The cleaner and another staff member were interviewed by the police.’
The friend added: ‘Liam did everything he could to stay clean but as soon as he got to the hotel these people offered him alcohol and drugs.’
Representatives of the CasaSur Hotel have so far declined to comment.
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Meanwhile, investigators from Argentina’s Justice Ministry have demanded that a full toxicology examination be carried out before Payne’s body is released to his family and repatriated to Britain.
This thorough procedure could result in the remains of the former One Direction remaining in Argentina for 15 days until the full results are known.
An autopsy revealed that the musician died from multiple injuries after falling from the third floor of the hotel.
But lead investigator, prosecutor Marcelo Roma, has called for histopathological, biochemical and toxicological tests to confirm whether the musician was drugged and drunk.
Geoff Payne, Liam’s father, arrived in Buenos Aires last week to formally identify his son’s body and assist in the repatriation of his remains to Britain for burial.
