Corey Haim linked to illegal drug ring

13 March 2010Corey Haim has been linked to an "illegal and massive" prescription drug ring.

The 80s heartthrob was pronounced dead on arrival at St Joseph's hospital in Burbank, California, at 2.15am on Wednesday morning. His death was originally thought to be due to a drug overdose, but his mother Judy yesterday claimed pulmonary congestion had caused his passing.

Police found four bottles of prescription medication in Haim's room, including Valium, Vicodin and a muscle relaxant. No illegal drugs were found, but it has now emerged that one of the medications was issued to Haim using an unauthorised prescription.

California State Attorney General Jerry Brown says his office is now launching an investigation in Haim's death after his name was found during a probe of fraudulent drug-prescription pads in San Diego. Brown said the "drug ring" under investigation operates by ordering prescription medication pads from authorised vendors using identities stolen from legitimate doctors. The pads are then sold on to prescription drug addicts or dealers.

"Corey Haim's death is yet another tragedy linked to the growing problem of prescription drug abuse," Brown said. "This problem is increasingly linked to criminal organisations, like the illegal and massive prescription-drug ring under investigation."

Gossip website TMZ.com claim law enforcement officials are also investigating several urgent care facilities that prescribed medication to Haim. Sources have told the website the Judy Haim told investigators that her son had been going to the medical facilities to score prescriptions. She claimed she had even phoned several of the clinics to ask why they were continuing to supply the 38-year-old star with drugs. She said he was getting 60 to 90 pills per visit.

Judy yesterday revealed the Los Angeles County Coroner's office has telephoned her as a courtesy to let her know some of the preliminary autopsy findings. She revealed Haim had an enlarged heart and fluid in his lungs at the time of his death, and therefore hadn't died of an overdose. Deputy Coroner Ed Winter says he has refused to rule out prescription medication overdose as the official cause of Haim's death. He admitted other medical conditions had been found during the post-mortem, but said the coroner would wait for toxicology results before ruling on the death.

"You can have somebody with an enlarged heart and some other medical conditions, but you don't know if the actual cause of death is from illegal substances, medication or heart failure," Winter said.

"There were some preliminary findings, and we agreed to let the mother know what those were. It was explained to her that even though this is some preliminary findings that the doctor observed, there wouldn't be a final cause of death until the final toxicology tests are back."

Winter says the cause of death will be determined within the next six weeks.

Haim will be buried in his native Toronto, Canada, next week. There will also be a memorial service in Los Angeles, where Haim's family will ask for donations to fund the funeral services. © Cover Media