TWO gardai allegedly drove prostitutes and their clients to a brothel run by a third officer.

The Herald has learned that two more officers have been implicated in a major sex racket which has already led to the arrest of one member of the force.

Detectives have widened their probe into the allegedly rogue garda, and have now uncovered links to two other serving officers, the Herald understands.

More details of the suspected prostitution ring can now be revealed, with reports that one of the gardai effectively acted as a 'pimp', it is understood.

Two other men, both serving gardai, are suspected of driving prostitutes and their clients to a house being run as a brothel by the third officer.

This garda, who has already been arrested, controlled a house outside Sligo and allegedly set a number of foreign prostitutes to work in the town centre.

The African women employed as prostitutes were allegedly trafficked into the State, and the garda who was arrested was questioned under the Human Trafficking Act.

The Herald understands that this garda was the chief mover in the operation and is suspected of having earned up to €130,000 from it.

Brass

The racket is believed to have been run for a number of years, but was reported to detectives last year, leading the GNIB to start an investigation.

It is suspected that the racket may also have run in areas outside of Sligo, and gardai from a number of west of Ireland divisions are involved in the investigation.

Detectives from other units have been seconded to the investigation to examine the allegations that women were employed as prostitutes after they were trafficked into the country.

Garda top brass are understood to be extremely concerned about the allegations.

The garda at the centre of the investigation was released without charge after being arrested and questioned at Carrick-on-Shannon Garda Station in Co Leitrim last month.

Migrants

A 33-year-old African woman was arrested and questioned at Coolock Garda Station in Dublin.

A 52-year-old man, who is not a serving garda, was also questioned at Manorhamilton Garda Station in Co Leitrim.

The arrested persons were later released without charge, pending further garda investigations.

Last month Fine Gael claimed that 97pc of the 1,000 women believed to be involved in indoor prostitution were migrants.

clooney@herald.ie

- Cormac Looney