A female Garda (Irish Police officer) based in Dublin has become the fourth member of the Garda Siochana to be questioned about leaking vital information to ruthless criminals gangs. It is suspected that the Garda in question suffers from a discreet but severe addiction to cocaine and may be exchanging the information to settle a massive drug debt that she has with drug dealers.

The Gardai are investigating and have added that the officer in question may have been coerced into divulging the confidential information with criminals. Gardai have also identified another member of the force with a serious addiction to cocaine and suspect that he too may have exchanged information with criminal gangs that control Irelands growing, illegal drug trade.

Three other Gardai have been under investigation for allegedly leaking confidential information that is stored on the general Garda database, PULSE. Last month a Garda was arrested and questioned about leaking information to one of Irelands most dangerous criminal gangs. Renowned for their audacious armed robberies and tiger kidnappings, Gardai began to suspect information had been leaked to the gangs as they were able to identify undercover units that were keeping the criminals under surveillance.

Two Gardai have been restricted to minor duties, while one has been suspended indefinitely for passing information to one of Ireland's most serious drug and kidnapping gangs. A case is being prepared and prosecutions are expected.

The Gardai suspected of leaking information never formally logged onto the PULSE system and used new recruits, who were unwittingly tricked into downloading information on behalf of the Gardai in question.

The leaking of such information has shocked senior Gardai who believe the lives of undercover Gardai in the Special Detective Unit have been put in danger by the actions of a small number of individuals. A senior detective described it as “horrific” as the PULSE system stores confidential information about undercover police cars and addresses of criminals and their sources. It is feared that the information leaked was used to target and eliminate other criminals.