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Paisley Park: Fentanyl Pills Confiscated — Did Prince Obtain The Drug Illegally?

By Merry Strong
Published on: 07:15 PST, Aug 23, 2016

Counterfeit fentanyl pills, falsely labeled as hydrocodone, were confiscated from Paisley Park shortly after Prince Rogers Nelson died. Today, the burning question remains: Did Prince obtain the drug illegally, or was the music icon’s passing just a tragic mistake?

According to a recent CBS News report, this information comes from a source who has knowledge of the ongoing investigation. The same source went on to explain that approximately 12 to 24 tablets were found in Prince’s Paisley Park bedroom. However, the majority of pills were located in a variety of bags and suitcases. They were stored in over-the-counter pill bottles such as those typically used for aspirin.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid and much more powerful than heroin. Many of the counterfeit pills found in Prince’s possession were mislabeled “Watson 385.” This is the same stamp commonly used to identify pills that contain a mix of hydrocodone and acetaminophen.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension tested one of these specific pills found at Paisley Park. It tested positive for lidocaine, fentanyl, and a third mystery drug. Lidocaine is used as a local anesthetic.

In addition, a separate aspirin bottle contained 64 counterfeit tablets. One of these pills was analyzed as well. When the results came back, authorities learned those pills contained fentanyl, U-4770, and lidocaine. U-4770 is a synthetic drug, which is known to be eight times more powerful than morphine.

Approximately 20 bottles of pills taken from Paisley Park have been analyzed to date. Included in the group was one prescription bottle containing 10 oxycodone pills. The prescription in question was in someone else’s name.

Prince’s official autopsy report indicates he had a toxic level of fentanyl in his system the day he was found unresponsive in the elevator of his Paisley Park compound. The report also indicates the presence of Percocet, lidocaine, and alprazolam. Authorities still have no idea how Prince obtained these drugs. He did not have a valid fentanyl prescription.

Star Tribune recently reported that when Prince was found the morning of April 21, paramedics on the scene said he appeared to be dead for at least six hours. Strangely, both his shirt and pants were on backward and his socks were inside-out.

Unfortunately, no one will ever know what really happened in the hours and moments before Prince’s death. Authorities are leaning toward the possibility that the musical icon didn’t know he was ingesting counterfeit pills that were strong enough to kill him, which makes the whole situation even more tragic.

Even though it’s been months since Prince’s unexpected death, his beloved Paisley Park remains in the news. As recently reported by the Inquisitr, there is a possibility that the compound will be transformed into a museum. This move is actually something that Prince contemplated doing himself.

If you’ve never read about it, the story of how Paisley Park came to be is quite interesting. From the outside, the compound resembles a huge commercial building. But, the inside is far from it.

The 23-year-old architect who designed Prince’s dream home in 1985 had never attempted anything like it. It really was a win-win for both of them. Do you want a tour of the inside of Paisley Park? Take a few minutes to watch this video. You won’t regret it!

What are your thoughts about Prince’s possible drug use and resulting death? Do you think he knew what he was taking on that fateful day in April? On the other hand, do you feel as though his death was purely accidental? Either way, the world has lost an amazing talent way too soon. Feel free to leave your comments about Prince and his Paisley Park home below.

[Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images]

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