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THE DEATH of a man who experienced breathing problems during a police search last night is being investigated by an independent body.

The 39-year-old man was one of three people searched in a public car park near Lee Court, Sharrow Vale, High Wycombe under the Misuse of Drugs Act, police said in a statement released today.

The matter has been referred by Thames Valley Police to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

IPCC commissioner Deborah Glass said: "We immediately decided that this investigation would be carried out independently.

"On behalf of the coroner we will seek to establish exactly what happened and what caused the death."

The police statement is as follows:

"Thames Valley Police have referred the unexplained death of a High Wycombe man to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC).

"At 7.12pm last night (3/7), Thames Valley Police officers stopped a car and conducted a search, under the Misuse of Drugs Act, on three people in a car in a public car park.

"In the course of the search, one of the people, a 39-year-old man, encountered breathing problems and an ambulance was called. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

"The incident occurred near Lee Court, Sharrow Vale in High Wycombe. The other two people have been interviewed as witnesses.

"In the course of the incident a package was seized. It will be the subject of forensic analysis.

"As with any incident of this nature, Thames Valley Police Professional Standards Department informed the Independent Police Complaints Commission of the incident and they have decided to carry out the investigation.

"IPCC on-call investigators went to the scene early this morning. The investigation will be conducted by IPCC senior investigator Malcolm Niblo. A post-mortem will be conducted this afternoon at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

"Neighbourhood officers and Police Community Support Officers are actively engaging with the local community in relation to this incident."

4:09pm Friday 4th July 2008

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