A man arrested in connection with an 11-kilo drug haul died an hour after he was found with a bed sheet around his neck at the police headquarters lock-up in Floriana yesterday.

The police said attempts to resuscitate Martin Fenech, 39, from Żejtun failed.

Mr Fenech, who was known to the police, was due to be arraigned yesterday. He was being held in custody following the discovery of about eight kilos of heroin and three kilos of cocaine which the police said was found hidden in a coffer in his residences at Żejtun and Marsa on Wednesday evening.

Police Commissioner Michael Cassar told a press conference Mr Fenech was found unconscious at 3am. The other end of the sheet was tied to the metal bars of a window.

A police officer administered first aid and an ambulance was called. The man was given CPR in an attempt to resuscitate him but he was declared dead an hour after his arrival at Mater Dei Hospital.

Mr Cassar said Duty Magistrate Charmaine Galea had been informed about the case and he had given strict instructions that no one was to be allowed inside the cell so court experts could do their job.

When asked, he said no internal investigation would be carried out and neither would the police be involved in the magisterial inquiry as this would also look into police internal procedures and policies. He said the police would assist the magistrate as required.

Mr Cassar said that although precautions were always taken and the force was always trying to improve matters, such incidents could still happen. Although there were CCTV cameras in the corridors, for privacy reasons there were none in cells.

Asked whether the police suspected any foul play, Mr Cassar said it was up to the magisterial inquiry to determine that.

Meanwhile, in a statement, home affairs shadow minister Beppe Fenech Adami called on the government to order an independent inquiry into the case, especially since the premature death could have prejudiced the police investigation into a drug ring.