Inquiry into cocaine bags death

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/south_east/5387130.stm

Version 0 of 1.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission is to hold an inquiry on the death of a woman believed to have swallowed bags of cocaine.

Nicola Last, 40, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, died on 17 September after being admitted to Llandough Hospital with a suspected drugs overdose.

She had arrived at Heathrow airport two days before on a flight from Trinidad.

The IPCC will manage an inquiry into procedures HM Customs officers followed at Heathrow when they stopped Ms Last.

Mother-of-one Ms Last died at Llandough hospital after some of a large number of small bags in her stomach, apparently containing cocaine, burst.

The IPCC will manage the inquiry into the procedures that HM Revenue and Customs officers followed at Heathrow, when they stopped Ms Last on 15 September.

Ms Last died at Llandough hospital on 17 September

IPCC Commissioner Gary Garland said: "South Wales Police will continue to inquire into her death on behalf of HM Coroner, without our oversight.

"As Ms Last had been in contact with HM Revenue and Customs officers her death was referred to us automatically.

"Our inquiry is concerned with the procedures that were followed at the airport."

Since April, the IPCC has had powers to handle investigations into serious incidents and deaths in the custody of, or following contact, with HM Revenue and Customs staff.