Package swallowed by Rashan Charles contained 'mixture of paracetamol and caffeine wrapped in plastic'

Police watchdog had earlier confirmed the item in 20-year-old's throat was not an illegal substance

Rashan Charles died following a police chase on 22 July

The package removed from the throat of Rashan Charles shortly before he died in police custody contained "a mixture of paracetamol and caffeine wrapped in plastic", the police watchdog has said.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission had previously confirmed that the object did not contain a "controlled substance".

Mr Charles died in the early hours of 22 July after being apprehended by police at a shop in Hackney. The IPCC said at the time that it had evidence he had swallowed a package shortly before he died. The object was removed from his throat at the scene.

His death sparked violent clashes between protestors and police in Hackney as demonstrators threw bottles and fireworks at officers.

Cindy Butts, the IPCC Commissioner overseeing the investigation, said: "Yesterday, we received analysis of the contents of a package that paramedics removed from Rashan’s airway after he was detained and restrained by a police officer and member of the public. Following a very constructive meeting with Rashan’s family, we stated that the package did not contain controlled substances.

"We did not provide further details, because the contents of the package are not directly relevant to our investigation – we are looking into the circumstances of Rashan’s death, not investigating Rashan.

However, given the inflammatory nature of some ongoing speculation I will confirm that the package consisted of a mixture of paracetamol and caffeine wrapped in plastic. At this stage we have not been provided with a confirmed cause of death for Rashan and our investigation is ongoing."

Appealing for the public to remain calm, Ms Butts insisted her investigation will "consider every shred of available evidence",

CCTV footage showed Mr Charles being violently apprehended by a police officer in a shop following, the Metropolitan Police said, a chase that began when the suspect fled on foot from a car in which he was travelling as a passenger. The vehicle was stopped by police in Kingsland Road, Hackney, around 1.45am on 22 July.

Speaking after the initial announcement that Mr Charles had not ingested an illegal substance, Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said the finding would cause "deep concern and upset".

"The IPCC's update, coupled with the release of a Metropolitan Police report highlighting a disproportionate use of force against BME (black and minority ethnic) people, will no doubt cause deep concern and upset", she said.

"Urgent work must be done to rebuild trust and links between the police and the community."