NSW prison officer smuggled tobacco: cops

A NSW prison officer has been charged after allegedly being paid by inmates to smuggle tobacco into a prison in the state's central west.

Detectives investigating the introduction of contraband at the Wellington Correctional Centre arrested the 35-year-old male corrections officer on Thursday at a home in the nearby town of Maryvale, police said.

The man allegedly trafficked tobacco into the prison on five occasions in return for financial reward from two inmates.

The 35-year-old was charged with two counts of agent corruptly receive benefit and five counts of unlawfully deliver anything to an inmate.

The man was granted strict conditional bail to appear at Wellington Local Court on February 19.

His employment with Corrective Services NSW has been suspended.