Prison officer arrested following drug seizure

A prison officer was arrested after being found with around 40 mobile phones and a quantity of drugs, it emerged today.

He was arrested in Limerick city centre at around 8.30pm yesterday and is being questioned at Roxboro garda station.

Gardaí said a man in his 50s was detained after being discovered with a number of mobile phones and a quantity of cannabis and cocaine.

A spokesman said he is being questioned under Section 2 of the Drug Trafficking Act.

He can be held for up to seven days.

The Prisons Service said it was a Garda matter and could not comment.

It is understood the officer worked at Limerick Prison.