This action was initiated as authorities seek additional CCTV footage in their investigation of a hotel worker suspected of supplying drugs to the former One Direction star.
Police in Argentina have raided the Casa Sur Palermo Hotel, where former One Direction singer Liam Payne tragically fell to his death.
This action was initiated as authorities seek additional CCTV footage in their investigation of a hotel worker suspected of supplying drugs to the former One Direction star.
Acting on orders from prosecutor Andres Madrea, officers have been seen meticulously going through documents and examining equipment in the hotel lobby, Mail Online reports.
They aim to identify who may have provided Payne with drugs before he fell from his third-floor balcony last Wednesday.
Paul Higgins, Payne's bodyguard, is assisting investigators in reviewing security footage, alongside Payne's father, Geoff.
Prosecutors have stated that they believe the pop star was likely in "a state of semi or total unconsciousness" during a substance-induced "psychotic episode" at the time of his fall.
Payne succumbed to multiple trauma injuries, which included "internal and external haemorrhaging" and a skull fracture among the 25 "life-threatening" injuries sustained.
Despite the investigation, authorities do not suspect any "third party" involvement but are actively searching for his dealer, as speculation surrounds the possibility that someone from the hotel was supplying him.
Sources have indicated that "the hotel must provide" more security footage and information about its employees, according to Us Weekly.
Argentinian news portal Infobae reported that forensic experts found traces of cocaine in Payne's body, although tests have so far returned "inconclusive" results.
Unverified reports from the US suggest that Payne's system contained a mix of drugs, including "pink cocaine," crack cocaine, and benzodiazepine. The police raid involved Buenos Aires City Police's Special Investigations Division and a Technology Investigations Unit.
Officers spent a significant amount of time in the reception area but also accessed the third-floor suite where Payne was staying.
Guiliana Salguero, an Argentinian TV reporter, noted, "We understand a person who was part of the hotel staff has been suspended after being linked to the supply of drugs to Liam Payne."
However, the hotel has not yet made any official comments regarding the police operation or the allegations against its staff member.
Geoff Payne has expressed his desire for the truth to emerge and is willing to "tell them everything he knows" to assist investigators. He learned from prosecutor Madrea that the full autopsy results have yet to be finalised, which has delayed the return of his son's body to the UK.
A spokesperson for the public prosecutor's office stated: "During the meeting with Mr Madrea, the musician's father expressed his desire for an investigation and his wish to know what happened."
They confirmed that the toxicological tests are essential for determining when the body can be released. Investigators continue to analyse "mobile phones, computers, photographs, and CCTV footage," indicating that more time is needed for this analysis.
Last week, prosecutors interviewed three hotel workers and two women who spent time with Payne before his death, who were identified as prostitutes.
The investigation aims to gather further information about the singer's last hours from hotel staff, acquaintances, and medical professionals.