Prison officers arrested in drugs ring swoop

FOUR prison officers were among five people arrested yesterday after gardaí smashed a drug smuggling ring in two of the country’s main prisons.

The prison officers are suspected of having links with a criminal family based in the Midlands. Gardaí are also investigating the possibility that one or more of them deliberately applied for a job in the Prison Service in order to develop a market for the gang.

It’s understood the Midlands gang is run by a major dealer with a sophisticated distribution network.