During the last week, Revenue customs officers, assisted by members of An Garda Siochana seized 51,500 ‘MG’ brand cigarettes and 9.5 kgs of ‘Amber Leaf’ tobacco at a roadside stop in Co Louth.
A further 5000 ‘MG’ cigarettes and 1 kg of counterfeit ‘Amber Leaf’ and ‘Golden Virginia’ tobacco were seized in an operation at Drogheda market, and 7,650 ‘MG’ cigarettes were discovered during a search of a retail outlet and a linked private residence in Dundalk.
The retail value of these seizures is €33,600. Three Irish nationals have been questioned and investigations are on-going.
The announcement was made yesterday after the Customs Service revealed they had seized a total of 410 x 50gram pouches of ‘Flandria’ tobacco in Co Cavan.
The 330 pouches, sent through the post in eleven cartons, to private addresses, were identified by Revenue customs staff at Dublin mail centre. During the operation two private houses were searched and officers seized a further 80 pouches. The tobacco is valued at a total of €8,200.
These seizures are part of Revenue’s on-going operations targeting the supply and sale of illegal cigarettes in the shadow economy. If businesses or members of the public have any information regarding the smuggling or sale of illegal cigarettes or tobacco, they can contact Revenue in confidence on free phone number 1800 295 295.
