Man dies in custody after taking large amount of drugs

A man has died in Victoria Police custody after taking non-prescription drugs before his arrest. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

A man has died in police custody after consuming a large amount of non-prescription medicine prior to his arrest.

The 59-year-old man was arrested on Friday in Morwell in Victoria's Gippsland region as part of a federal police investigation.

He was remanded at Morwell police station before being transferred to Dandenong police station where he reported feeling unwell, telling officers he had taken a large amount of non-prescription medication before his arrest.

The man was taken to hospital and died on Sunday.

Homicide detectives will prepare a report for the coroner and an investigation will be launched by the force's professional standards command.

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