A vital piece of evidence in the case of a British tourist who died in a police cell in Brazil has been lost, it has emerged.

Holidaymaker Neil Juwaheer, 35, from Pine Walk, Carshalton Beeches, died in the town of Fortaleza in 2007 of an alleged drug overdose after being arrested by police.

However, a new pathology report ordered by his family suggested the real cause of death was that he had been beaten to death.

This week, lawyers for the family revealed police had lost the one piece of evidence suggesting drug abuse – a plastic cocaine wrap allegedly found in Mr Juwaheer’s stomach.

Lawyer Marlon Cambraia had requested a DNA test on any bodily fluids still present on the wrap, only to find neither the Instituto de Criminalistica (Forensic Institute) of the state of Ceara, nor chief of police in charge of the investigation had it in their possession.

Mr Cambraia said: “The suspicion is that this wrap was forged.

"The chief of police in charge of the investigation had determined the wrap should be sent to the Forensic Insitute and kept there, which is completely unusual in a case like this.

"In the case file there is a document confirming the wrap was sent from the Forensic Institute to the chief of police, so it could be included as evidence in the case, but apparently, it was never received.

"If the person meant to have sent it is claiming to have done so and the person meant to have received it is claiming it never arrived, they will be investigated.”

According to Mr Cambraia, the wrap of cocaine was not the only bit of evidence missing.

He said: “We’ve also requested the toxicological exam findings to be annexed to the files, since it was nowhere to be seen.

"That hasn’t turned up yet either.”

Mr Juwaheer was arrested in the north-eastern city of Fortaleza on suspicion of burglary in 2007 during a month-long holiday.

The former estate agent, listed as co-director of dating website Brazilian Girls 4U, was said to have jumped or climbed over the wall of private apartments and collapsed an hour after being taken into custody.

Police investigating the case claimed a burst package of cocaine was found in his stomach during the autopsy.

Earlier this year, a respected Brazilian coroner rebutted a police report claiming the holiday-maker died of a suspected drug overdose while in custody.

Mr Juwaheer’s parents, Chatrapal – known as Joe – and Pauline, who lived in Carshalton Beeches with their son at the time of his death, hired Dr Sanguinetti in August in a bid to reopen the case.

Dr George Sanguinetti’s report said there was “no scientific proof’’ the 35-year-old died after swallowing a package of cocaine, but evidence showed he was beaten to death. He also found no evidence of a wrap of cocaine in his stomach and cast doubt on the methods used to analyse the body.

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