A Garda investigation into the importation of illegal drugs through an employee of a major company on the east side of the city has led to the arrest and questioning of one man.

The consignment of drugs was discovered as part of an incoming delivery to the multinational company towards the end of November.

Gardaí have confirmed to the Galway City Tribune that last Thursday, one man was arrested in connection with the drugs discovery and questioned under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Drug Trafficking Act 1996.

The man, who is in his late 20s and from the east side of the city, also had his house searched by members of the Galway Garda Divisional Drugs Unit, where another seizure of suspected illegal drugs was made.

Gardaí are now trying to establish if the discovery of the drugs on the grounds of the multinational company was a ‘one off’ incident, or whether it may have been part of an ongoing drugs importation route.

The Galway City Tribune understands that the consignment of drugs found at the company was cannabis imported from Thailand and having a value of close on €200,000.

The company who employed the individual who was arrested have co-operated fully with Gardaí in their ongoing investigation of the incident.

Gardaí are understood to have established that the company themselves ‘knew nothing whatsoever’ about their employee’s involvement in the importation of the drugs.

At least one person in the company is understood to have been suspended from employment pending the completion of the investigation.

The company are also understood to have introduced strict new protocols and checks since the arrest of the employee, as well as a closer monitoring of all goods’ deliveries to their address.

It is understood that the drugs find was the culmination of a Garda intelligence operation involving parcels being delivered to the man who was questioned.

A Garda spokesperson confirmed to the Tribune that a major investigation was ongoing and that one man had been arrested.