It was reported earlier this evening by the Press Association that pioneering Reggae DJ, Smiley Culture had passed away during an early morning police raid on his home in Warlingham, east Surrey.

According to the article, his death was the result of self-inflicted wounds, the circumstances of which are to be investigated by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman stated that 'as part of an ongoing operation officers from the Metropolitan Police Service's Serious and Organised Crime Command today attended a residential address in east Surrey to make an arrest.

'While they were at the address, an incident occurred during which a 48-year-old man died. Officers from Surrey Police attended the incident and it has been formally referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.'

In September last year, Smiley (real name David Emmanuel) had appeared before magistrates charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine.

He shot to international fame in 1984 with his autobiographical hit, 'Police Officer', which he told the Guardian newspaper in 2010 'was a true story - the police used to take my weed. It was better than being arrested, and I made that into a hit.'

Smiley had previously worked on the south London-based Saxon Studio International Sound System and in '84 signed for leading British Reggae label, Fashion Records, for whom he cut the immensely popular 'Cockney Translation'.

The mainstream success of 'Police Officer' led to a deal with Polydor, but the change of label produced little in the way of commercial success, with the only 45 to breach the UK singles chart the typically whimsical 'Schooltime Chronicle', which climbed to number 59 in 1986.

Over the years that followed, further major hits proved elusive, with his output tailing off significantly in recent years.