Although Hoffman was found with a syringe in his arm, the
cause of his death remained undetermined and more study was
needed, said Julie Bolcer, a spokeswoman for New York City's
Chief Medical Examiner.
The four were arrested on Tuesday during a raid on a building in
lower Manhattan after police traced what they believed to have
been the source of the heroin suspected of killing the
Oscar-winning actor.
New York police Sergeant Thomas Antonetti, without linking the
arrests to Hoffman's death, named the four as Robert Vineberg,
57; Thomas Cushman, 48; Max Rosenblum and Juliana Luchkiw, both
22.
Vineberg and Cushman were charged with felony drug possession
and Rosenblum and Luchkiw with misdemeanor drug possession, he
said.
Separate police sources said the raid was conducted in
connection with Hoffman's death and scores of bags of what
appeared to be heroin were recovered.
A police spokesman told Reuters on Tuesday evening that heroin
found in Hoffman's apartment after his death was not cut or
mixed with fentanyl, a synthetic narcotic believed by health
authorities to be responsible for scores of overdose deaths in
recent months.
"There was no fentanyl found in the drugs," the spokesman said.
"ACE OF SPADES"
The 46-year-old actor was found unresponsive on the bathroom
floor of his Manhattan apartment on Sunday by police responding
to an emergency 911 call.
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Police found Hoffman with a syringe in his arm and
recovered plastic bags containing a substance believed to be heroin.
Law enforcement sources have told Reuters he died of an apparent
drug overdose.
Dozens of small, glassine drug pouches were discovered in the
apartment, many of them stamped with the words "Ace of Spades" in
white lettering inside, according to a third law enforcement source
involved in the Hoffman investigation.
Others were stamped with an ace of hearts playing card image.
Hoffman, who is survived by his partner, Mimi O'Donnell, and their
three children, had detailed his struggles with substance abuse in
the past.
The actor, who won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Truman
Capote in the 2006 drama "Capote" and was considered one of the most
gifted film stars of his generation, had sought treatment last year
after more than 20 years of sobriety.
A representative for Hoffman said the actor, who also appeared in
blockbusters such as "Twister" and "The Hunger Games," will be
buried after a private service, with a public memorial planned for
later this month.
(Additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb in
Los Angeles; editing by Gunna Dickson)
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