Revenue seize almost 3.5 million cigarettes at Dublin Port
Smuggled cigarettes branded ‘Winston’ have an estimated retail value of €2,415,000, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of €1,890,600
Print10 November 2020
Revenue officers seized 3.45 million cigarettes at Dublin Port yesterday, following an intelligence-led operation which used Revenue’s x-ray scanner.
The smuggled cigarettes were discovered in 10 large metal boxes, concealed within timber frames, on a trailer that had arrived on a vessel from Rotterdam.
The smuggled cigarettes branded ‘Winston’ have an estimated retail value of €2,415,000, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of €1,890,600.
Revenue reports investigations are ongoing.
Officers also made several significant discoveries last week. On Thursday, 5 November, as a result of a targeted operation and with the assistance of Revenue’s x-ray Scanner and detector dog Kelly, Revenue officers seized over 423,000 cigarettes at Dublin Port. The smuggled cigarettes were concealed in a large industrial boiler, on a trailer that had arrived on a vessel from Rotterdam.
The smuggled cigarettes branded ‘NZ’ and ‘Minsk’, have an estimated retail value of €296,000 representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of €231,859. A Mercedes Benz Actros Tractor unit and trailer were also seized as part of this operation.
A Lithuanian man in his 40s was arrested and has since appeared before a sitting of Cloverhill District Court where he was remanded in custody to appear again earlier today.
Meanwhile, on 1 November, after routine profiling which again used one of Revenue’s x-ray scanners, officers seized 26,200 cigarettes at Cork Airport. The smuggled cigarettes were discovered in the checked and carry-on baggage of a Polish national who had disembarked a flight from Katowice, Poland. The ‘L&M’, ‘Marlboro Gold’, ‘Pall Mall’ and ‘LD’ branded cigarettes had an estimated retail value of €18,340 representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of €14,600.
A couple of days earlier, on 30 October, as a result of routine profiling, Revenue officers at Dublin Airport seized over 57kgs of tobacco following a search of the checked baggage of a British national that had disembarked a flight from Alicante, Spain. The smuggled tobacco branded ‘Golden Virginia’ and ‘Amber Leaf’ has an estimated retail value of €35,000 representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of €29,500.
Revenue has appealed for businesses or members of the public with any information regarding the smuggling incidents outlined above, to contact Revenue in confidence on free phone number 1800 295 295.
Related Articles
M&S launches ‘Farm to Foodhall’ campaign with chef Mark Moriarty →
Sweet disposition →
Tesco opens new Limerick store, creates 33 jobs →
Fans 0
Followers