Khaberni - The increasing appearance of "pink cocaine" in nightclubs and during busts in the United States has concerned officials, as it rarely contains real cocaine and no two batches are identical.
This powder, part of a new wave of synthetic drugs, is a dangerous mix of drugs that typically includes ketamine and ecstasy, and sometimes mixed with methamphetamine or fentanyl. This sharp variance greatly increases the risk of overdose. The drug is sold online in custom bags and is regularly referred to on social media by enthusiasts and musicians.
Authorities from Los Angeles to Miami have reported busts or issued strong warnings concerning what is known as pink cocaine or "tucibi" recently. In 2025, New York investigators seized quantities of it along with dozens of guns in smuggling cases.
In April, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a raid on a "secret nightclub" in Colorado where undocumented immigrants were arrested and the drug was seized. A series of cases in the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s office documented multiple deaths between September 2020 and July 2024 involving "tucibi".
There is no standard formula for the drug; it is an unstable mixture of stimulants, depressants, and opioids locally mixed with dyes. Laboratory analysis often reveals ketamine and ecstasy, but samples also contained methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. Reported effects range from euphoria and increased energy to changes in perception, hallucinations, and dissociative effects, with potential for causing anxiety and paranoia.
According to "Axios", the drug originated in Colombia in the late first decade of this century as a club drug, initially mimicking the hallucinogenic drug 2C-B. It spread northward and into Europe, where dealers locally mix it from available materials. Professor Joseph G. Palamar from New York University says: "Tucibi is not just smuggled as a drug. It’s the import of an idea," noting that the pink dye makes it "Instagrammable" and contributes to its popularity.
Caitlyn Brown from American Poison Centers warns that users of "tucibi" might think they're taking mild hallucinogens, while actually consuming dangerous mixtures that affect the heart, brain, and respiratory system. She confirms that there is "no antidote" for this mixture, and treatment relies on supporting vital functions until the drug effects subside.
Estimations indicate that 2.7% of attendees of the electronic dance music scene in New York used the drug in 2024. Poison centers recorded 18 cases of exposure across four states since January 2024, most requiring medical treatment. The drug has also been linked to deaths, including former singer Liam Payne. It appears that the drug is spreading to rural areas, where officials in Louisiana have warned of its association with fatal overdose cases.
