Ireland Case No. 4539Corruption (disappearance of seized cannabis)
Garda and five released without charge in Leinster cannabis corruption probe
In January 2024, over €100,000 worth of seized cannabis went missing from an evidence locker at a Garda station in the Leinster area, discovered a short time later when detectives attempted to put the exhibits to a suspect in interview. On 19 November 2025, a serving garda was arrested under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act and held under organised crime legislation, and five other non-garda people were arrested by the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. On 20 November 2025, all six were released without charge, and the garda was suspended from duty immediately upon release. The investigation, led by a Senior Investigating Officer from the Eastern Region and supported by the Anti-Corruption Unit, is ongoing.
- Reported21 Nov
- Arrested19 Nov
4 reports - Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Over €100,000 worth of seized cannabis went missing from an evidence locker at a Garda station in the Leinster area.
- The disappearance was discovered when detectives attempted to put the exhibits to a suspect in interview.
- When
- The drugs went missing in January 2024 and were discovered a short time after being placed in secure storage.
- Where
- The drugs were stored at a Garda station in the Leinster area, and the garda was arrested in a town in Leinster and held in a station in south Leinster.
- Investigation
- The probe is an ongoing Eastern Region investigation supported by the Garda Anti-Corruption Unit and the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
- A serving garda was arrested on 19 November 2025 under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act and held under organised crime legislation.
- Five other non-garda people were arrested by the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau on 19 November 2025.
- Charges
- All six were released without charge on 20 November 2025.
- Other details
- The garda was suspended from duty immediately upon release.
- One line of inquiry is that the garda had links to organised crime groups, though sources said investigations are at an early stage.
- Two men in their 40s and 50s arrested over related alleged drug trafficking were released pending files to the DPP.
- A man in his 30s and a woman in her 40s are detained at Garda stations in the Midlands, and a man in his 40s remains in custody in the east for alleged related corruption offences.
48 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA serving garda was arrested as part of an investigation into how a large quantity of drugs went missing from a locker in a Garda station. (thejournal.ie)
- whatA serving garda was arrested by anti-corruption officers after a large quantity of drugs went missing from an evidence locker last year. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe missing cannabis was believed to be worth around €100,000. (irishtimes.com)
- whatFive more people were arrested in a probe into the disappearance of about €100,000 worth of seized cannabis from a Garda station. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatGardaí's Anti-Corruption unit detained a serving member of the force. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA garda and five other non-gardaí were released without charge. (rte.ie)
- whatThe investigation concerns corruption, organised crime offences and the disappearance of drugs. (rte.ie)
- whatThe investigation began after gardaí in the eastern region seized over €100,000 worth of drugs and arrested a suspect. (rte.ie)
- whatDetectives found the drugs had gone missing when they tried to put the exhibits to the suspect in interview. (rte.ie)
- whereThe garda was arrested in a town in Leinster. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe seized drugs were placed in secure storage at a Garda station in the Leinster area. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe arrested garda is being held in a station in south Leinster. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe drugs disappeared from a garda station. (rte.ie)
- whenThe seized drugs went missing in January 2024. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe drugs were discovered to be missing a short time after being placed in storage. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe drugs disappeared last year. (rte.ie)
- investigationThe probe is an ongoing Eastern Region investigation supported by the Garda Anti-Corruption Unit. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe garda was arrested following a lengthy probe. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationGardaí from the National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau arrested five other people who are not gardaí. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe garda is in custody. (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- investigationTwo males in their 40s and 50s arrested over related alleged drug trafficking have been released pending files to the DPP. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe incident has been under investigation by the Garda Anti-Corruption Unit and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationOne line of inquiry is that the garda had links to organised crime groups, but sources said investigations are at an early stage. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationGardaí from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau arrested five other people in a related investigation, none of whom are members of An Garda Síochána. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe arrests are part of a long-running Anti-Corruption Unit investigation into the disappearance of seized cannabis worth around €100,000 in January 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationDetective Gardaí from the Eastern Region, supported by other units, carried out several searches and made arrests. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationA Garda spokesman said investigations led by a Senior Investigating Officer from the Eastern Region are continuing. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationEastern region officers, supported by the Anti-Corruption Unit, began a criminal investigation and arrested the serving garda. (rte.ie)
- investigationFive other people were arrested by the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. (rte.ie)
- investigationThe garda was suspended from duty immediately after release. (rte.ie)
- investigationThe investigation is being led by a Senior Investigating Officer from the Eastern Region and is continuing. (rte.ie)
- investigationA garda has been suspended. (extra.ie)
- investigationAn investigation is under way into drugs taken from a station. (extra.ie)
- chargeThe garda was arrested on a Wednesday morning under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows detention for up to seven days. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe serving garda is being held under organised crime legislation. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe garda was released without charge. (rte.ie)
- chargeThe five other people were released without charge. (rte.ie)
- otherThe garda was brought to a station for questioning under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act. (thejournal.ie)
- otherA spokesperson said the garda was detained under organised crime legislation. (thejournal.ie)
- otherA man in his 30s and a woman in her 40s are detained at Garda stations in the Midlands. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- otherA man in his 40s remains in custody at a Garda station in the east of the country for alleged related corruption offences. (irishtimes.com)
- otherTwo men in their 40s and 50s, arrested over alleged related drug trafficking, have been released pending files to the Director of Public Prosecutions. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe station where the garda is held is not the station where the drugs disappeared from. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe garda can be detained for up to seven days. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherGarda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau officers arrested five people who are not gardaí. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherA man in his 40s is being questioned at a Garda station in the east of the country over alleged related corruption offences. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherTwo men, aged in their 40s and 50s, who were arrested over alleged drug trafficking have been released and files will go to the DPP. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherA file will be prepared for the DPP. (rte.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 21 Nov2025Garda suspended amid investigation into drugs taken from station
Only the headline states the facts. The article body is unrendered template code with no date, location, names or other details. The Garda reference suggests the Republic of Ireland.
- 20 Nov2025Garda, others held over €100k of missing drugs released
Reports that a serving garda and five non-gardaí were arrested and released without charge; the garda was suspended and a file is to go to the DPP. Adds the detail that the drugs went missing from a garda station, discovered when detectives tried to put the exhibits to the suspect in interview.
suspectsuspectsuspectsuspectsuspectsuspect - 19 Nov2025Probe into Garda station cannabis seizure disappearance sees five more arrested
Adds the arrest of a serving garda and five non-garda people in the probe into the disappearance of seized cannabis; two of the five have been released with files going to the DPP. No existing case matches.
suspect, malesuspect, 30s, malesuspect, 40s, femalesuspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s, malesuspect, 50s, male - 19 Nov2025Garda arrested after drugs worth €100,000 missing from evidence locker
First report of the arrest of a serving garda over the missing cannabis from an evidence locker. The article says the incident happened last year but gives no exact date. It also reports five related arrests and the early line of inquiry about organised crime links.
suspect, malesuspect, 30s, malesuspect, 40s, femalesuspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s, malesuspect, 50s, male - 19 Nov2025Serving garda arrested as part of probe after large quantity of drugs goes missing from station
Reports the arrest of a serving garda and five other people in an Anti-Corruption Unit and NDOCB investigation into drugs that went missing from a Garda station in January 2024. Not linked to any existing case.
suspect, malesuspect, 30s, malesuspect, 40s, femalesuspect, 40s, malesuspect, 40s or 50s, malesuspect, 40s or 50s, male