A police watchdog has ruled that Gwent Police officers “acted properly” after a man died during a drugs raid in Lansbury Park, Caerphilly.
On September 21 last year, four officers raided the home of 44-year-old James Graham. Unknown to them, he had swallowed a packet of Heroin and collapsed.
The officers carried out CPR and called for an ambulance. Paramedics attended and Mr Graham was taken to the Heath Hospital, Cardiff, where he was pronounced dead.
The Inquest into Mr Graham’s death was held at Cardiff Coroners’ Court on Tuesday were a verdict of accidental death was recorded.
At the post-mortem a package containing heroin was found lodged in Mr Graham’s throat. The investigation found that neither the officers or the paramedics were aware that Mr Graham had swallowed anything.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission investigated the death and concluded that Gwent Police officers acted correctly.
IPCC Commissioner for Wales Tom Davies said: “My condolences again go to Mr Graham’s family and friends for their loss.
“The officers who attended Mr Graham’s home to execute a warrant acted properly and took immediate action when they realised that Mr Graham was suffering difficulties with his breathing.
“The post-mortem found that he had swallowed a bag of heroin. The IPCC has investigated a number of deaths where the person has swallowed drugs to try and hide evidence and this is such an obviously dangerous practice.
“Police officers are not trained to make the sort of medical intervention that would be required to safely remove an obstruction, but do suffer the trauma of dealing with someone who then dies.
“Our investigation has established the officers responded quickly and effectively to the situation, working together under difficult conditions. There is no evidence to suggest there was anything the police officers could have done differently to have prevented this outcome.”