Police Hit By Drugs Scandal

Three members of the PSNI have resigned after they failed drugs tests - and a Garda has been questioned over a Dublin drugs ring.

Cocaine and cannabis were detected in the results of the substance testing, the PSNI confirmed and, as a result, three officers left their jobs before the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings.

"The public rightly expects that the Police Service of Northern Ireland is a drug-free organization," a PSNI statement said.

"The Police Service has introduced measures to prevent substance misuse by police personnel through the provision of education and support programmes and the introduction of a compulsory drug-testing regime".

Meanwhile, a member of the Gardaí was questioned yesterday lunchtime in connection with involvement in a Dublin drugs ring, following his arrest yesterday.

He had been under surveillance when he was arrested along with a suspected drug dealer in Chancery Street near the Four Courts at two o'clock on Monday afternoon.

Eight grams of cocaine, worth around €800, were also seized. The garda is in his twenties and based in a Dublin South city station.

He is believed to have a cocaine habit, but possession of eight grams can be considered more than sufficient for personal use.

The Garda Commissioner has suspended the garda from duty.

The incident comes on the heels of another member of An Garda Síochána who faced trial on Tuesday at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, standing accused of assaulting a man in the Capital in 2007.

Garda Brendan Whitty, 33, pleaded not guilty to the assault of Keith Murphy on Thomas Street Dublin 2 on 20 September 2007.

The court heard that Mr Murphy died from complications of drug use hours after he was released from garda custody.

The prosecution said Mr Murphy's death was not connected his earlier arrest and that Garda Whitty was charged with assault for allegedly hitting Mr Murphy a number of times with a baton while arresting him earlier that day.

The jury was told it would have to decide if Garda Whitty had an honest belief that he needed to use force to arrest Mr Murphy.

(DW)