Serving female prison officer arrested during major gardai drugs bust

Sources have told us the officer, who is based in a prison in Leinster, had been working at the jail on the day of the seizure

A serving prison officer is at the centre of a major Garda investigation – after she was arrested during a drugs bust, it has emerged.

The Irish Mirror has learned that the female officer was among several people arrested over a seizure of more than €50,000 of drugs in recent weeks.

Sources have told us the officer, who is based in a prison in Leinster, had been working at the jail on the day of the seizure.

She left her prison at the end of her shift and went to a location – where gardaí then moved in and made the seizure.

She was one of a number of people arrested at the scene but was not charged and was later released.

A file is now being prepared over her potential involvement in the seizure for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

We have established that the female officer has not been back at work since she was released from custody – and called in sick.

Sources, however, have told us that prison bosses are aware that she is at the centre of the investigation.

We cannot go into details of the seizure as several men are now before the courts.

But it is understood the seizure was made by a local garda unit that was targeting a gang involved in the drugs trade in the Leinster area.

It was carried out as part of Operation Tara, the Garda national crackdown on drug dealing gangs.

Sources say the woman is suspected of being in a relationship with a man heavily involved in the drugs trade.

A spokesman for the Irish Prisons Service declined to comment on the officer when we contacted him on Thursday.

He told us: “It would not be appropriate for the Irish Prison Service to comment on matters relating to any individual staff member.

“The Irish Prison Service sets high standards in respect of its staff and requires that all staff carry out their duties with integrity, commitment and professionalism.

“The vast majority of staff adhere to these standards at all times.

“In circumstances where the conduct of a staff member does fall below the high standards expected, this is treated with the utmost seriousness in accordance with the Civil Service Code of Discipline.”