Argentina police raid homes of Liam Payne's friend and hotel workers amid investigation

Liam Payne passed away last month (Image: Getty Images for Atlantis The Royal)

Argentinian police, probing the death of Liam Payne, have reportedly carried out another series of raids on the residences of two hotel employees and a 'friend' of the singer, as per TMZ. The law enforcement sources in Buenos Aires informed the outlet that the raids took place on Tuesday night.

They also inspected the hotel lockers of the workers and scrutinised security footage from the CasaSur Palermo hotel. TMZ reports that it has been informed that police suspect the unidentified workers had contact with One Direction's Liam before his fatal fall from his third-floor room balcony on October 16.

It is alleged that one of the singer's 'friends' was identified through text messages. Investigations are underway to determine who might have supplied the singer with drugs.

The 'friend' officers wanted to question was not present during the raid. This marks the second round of raids, following last month's search of the hotel.

Electronic and paper records and videos of the hotel's underground area were seized in the initial raids, according to the publication's sources. A post-mortem examination after Liam's death concluded that he died from head injuries sustained in his fall, reports the Mirror.

Flowers and tributes for One Direction's Liam Payne in Wolverhampton (Image: Getty Images)

Argentine outlets report that traces of cocaine were found in his body at the time of his death.

The esteemed news outlet Infobae has reported that autopsy results on the late singer revealed "determined the presence of the class-A drug."

In the wake of recent raids, Liam's father remains in Argentina.

Earlier this week, he was seen paying his respects at the makeshift memorial where devastated fans have left floral tributes for the One Direction star.

Geoff, amidst the mourning admirers outside the hotel in Buenos Aires, held a red rose which he later placed among the tributes. The bereaved father, accompanied by three children, also embraced two supporters who presented him with a burning candle, which he respectfully set down near the base of the tree encircled by flowers.

Liam's body is expected to be repatriated to the UK later this week as his family gears up for his funeral. Insiders hint at an extravagant farewell in the pipeline, with the celebrity anticipated to receive a "very big send off" in the near future.

A source confided to the Daily Mail: "Liam will have a very big send off, quite probably at a large cathedral somewhere close to his heart. Liam was so loved by so many people, there will obviously be enormous demand and so the service will necessarily be a huge affair. The details are still under wraps until they are definitively signed off but should be announced very soon."