A serving garda has been arrested by anti-corruption officers after a large quantity of drugs went missing from an evidence locker last year.
The cannabis, believed to be worth around €100,000, had previously been seized in a garda operation which resulted in the arrest of one suspect.
The seizure, amounting to several kilograms of the drugs, was placed in secure storage in a Garda station in the Leinster area. A short time later, it was discovered to be missing.
The incident occurred last year and has been under investigation since by the Garda’s Anti-Corruption Unit and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
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One line of inquiry is the garda had links to organised crime groups. However, sources stressed investigations are at an early stage.
The garda was arrested on Wednesday morning under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act. This allows him to be detained for up to seven days.
“As part of an ongoing investigation by the Eastern Region supported by the Garda Anti-Corruption Unit, a member of An Garda Síochána was arrested today,” a garda spokesman said.
“The garda is currently in custody.”
Gardaí from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau investigating related alleged offences also arrested five other people today - they are not members of An Garda Síochána.
A man in his 30s and a woman in her 40s are currently detained at Garda stations in the Midlands.
A man in his 40s remains in custody at a Garda station in the east of the country for alleged related corruption offences.
Two men in their 40s and 50s who were arrested and detained for alleged related drug trafficking have since been released pending files to the Director of Public Prosecutions. Investigations which are being led by a Senior Investigating Officer from the Eastern Region are continuing at this time.
