Body found in suitcase

Detectives were today investigating the discovery of a man's body in a suitcase.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police confirmed that a body was found in the Water of Leith, Edinburgh, late last night.

It is understood the body was contained in a suitcase.

Police said they were treating the death of the victim, who was described as a local man, as suspicious.

The body was found by officers at the Shore, Leith, at 10.35pm last night following a tip-off, a spokesman for the force said.

The spokesman added: "Following intelligence from two sources, police recovered a body from the water at the Shore at Leith.

"The body was taken to the city mortuary and a post-mortem is expected to be carried out later today."

Detectives are believed to have established the man's identity and are pursuing several lines of inquiry in connection with his death.

The area where the body was found was sealed off for almost two hours while scenes of crime officers and specialist detectives carried out forensic examinations.

The body of the man, who was in his 20s and fully clothed, was partially decomposed when it was hauled from the water, police said.

It is thought that it might have been in the water for several days.
A force spokesman said the man had not been reported missing and police were following a particular line of inquiry.

The body was discovered in a stretch of water next to a host of bars, restaurants and shops in Leith's busy Shore area.

A police spokeswoman later said that a post-mortem examination on the dead man was expected to take place this afternoon.

She added that the man's identity would not be released until relatives had been informed.