Five investigated over Edir Da Costa death

Five officers are being investigated following the death of a man who swallowed several packages. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) believes the officers may have committed misconduct in relation to the level of care they provided 25-year-old Edir Da Costa. Mr Da Costa died in June after being detained by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) in Newham, East London. A post-mortem examination recovered a number of packages from his throat. However, Mr Da Costa’s cause of death has not yet been established. The incident sparked outcry from protestors, who accused the MPS of using excessive force during the arrest. The IPCC has denied that Mr Da Costa suffered “a broken neck or any other spinal injury during his interaction with the police”. Associate Commissioner Tom Milsom said: “We are very aware of the community concerns following the death of Mr Da Costa. “So as well as providing regular updates to the family and communicating with the officers involved, we will, when appropriate, also inform the wider community about the progress of our independent investigation.