What is ‘pink cocaine’? New drug increasingly found in NY, authorities say

NEW YORK (PIX11) – Federal authorities are warning about a new illegal drug increasingly being distributed in New York.

So-called “ pink cocaine ,” also known by the street name “tusi,” is a powdery substance consisting of a mix of illegal street drugs dyed pink.

Despite its name, pink cocaine doesn’t necessarily always contain cocaine, according to authorities. Common drugs that have appeared in lab tests include MDMA, ketamine, caffeine, and mescaline.

Earlier this week, a New Jersey man was busted in Manhattan for allegedly selling pink cocaine following a months-long undercover investigation, according to the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York.

Between April and September, Rodrigo Zapata, 27, allegedly sold pink cocaine, cocaine, and guns to an undercover officer at several locations in Manhattan, including Harlem, Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattanville, Greenwich Village, and near Central Park, authorities said. Law enforcement seized eight guns and more than a pound of cocaine and pink cocaine as a result of the investigation, according to the Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office.

Zapata was charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and criminal sale of firearms, authorities said.

An NYPD laboratory analyzed the pink cocaine from three of Zapata’s previous sales and found ketamine as well as a mix of ketamine and MDMA, authorities said.

“With the recent increase in the distribution of ‘pink cocaine’ in New York, the DEA and our law enforcement partners have begun targeting those individuals responsible for sale of this illicit drug,” DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino said. “I commend our DEA team and partners for their diligent work in removing these dangerous individuals, like Mr. Zapata, from our streets.”

Lauren Cook is a digital journalist who has covered local news in the New York City area for over a decade. She has been with PIX11 since 2020. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter .

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