A garda in her 30s held in Sligo as part of an investigation into a drugs related matter has been released without charge.

The woman originally from Sligo but based at a Dublin station, was detained with a man in the town last night at around 6.30pm.

Gardaí in Sligo were concerned that confidential and sensitive Garda information was being passed on to a criminal gang operating in the north west.

The Garda Commissioner Nóirín O Sullivan has now suspended the garda until the outcome of the investigation.

A file is being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.