By Patricia Uyeh

Controversy is still trailing the death of American multi-instrumentalist and singer, Prince Roger Nelson. Reports indicate that pills his Prince’s Paisley Park estate were falsely labelled. Officials revealed that the drugs actually contained a drug, 50 times more potent than heroin. An official on the condition of anonymity told the news agency, AP that a number of tablets discovered throughout the musician’s Minneapolis home tested positive for the powerful synthetic opioid, fentanyl.

About a dozen tablets were found in a dressing room in Paisley Park. Majority were found inside aspirin and vitamin bottles tucked inside a suitcase and bags particularly in one that Prince often carried with him. Some tested positive for fentanyl and lidocaine and U-4770(a synthetic drug that is eight times more powerful than morphine). Also two dozen pills were found to have been falsely labelled as “Watson 385”. Watson 385 is synonymous with pills containing a mix of acetaminophen and hydrocodone, a weaker form of opioid.

Prince was found unresponsive and alone in an elevator at his complex in Paisley Park, Minnesota, on 21 April, 2016. Post-mortem results in June revealed Prince, 57, died of an accidental fentanyl overdose. Medical records show that Prince had no prescription for any controlled substances in the 12 months before his death in Minnesota state. It remains unclear how he obtained the drugs.

Prince carved a niche for himself in the American music industry with his wide vocal range, flambouyant stage presence and make up.

Photo credits: Mandatory Credit: Photo by REX/Shutterstock (1273787av)

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