19/10/2015

Revenue Officers Seize Thousands Of Illegal Cigarettes

Cigarettes worth a retail value of almost €30,000 have been seized at Dublin Airport.

A total of 56,000 'L&M' and 'Marlboro' branded cigarettes were discovered in the luggage of four Romanian nationals who had arrived on a flight from Moldova via Istanbul.

The four men, in their 30s, were arrested and are due to appear at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Monday, 19 October.

Revenue also reported that 10,000 unstamped cigarettes and 3kgs of unstamped rolling tobacco was seized in a separate operation in Co Cork.

The 'Palace' cigarettes and 'Amber Leaf' tobacco were discovered when a UK commercial vehicle was stopped at a Garda checkpoint and searched. The vehicle was also seized.

Two males in their forties, both from Northern Ireland, were arrested. One man was released. The other man was charged after questioning and appeared at a sitting of Bandon District Court where he was remanded on bail to appear at court again in Macroom on 18 November 2015.

These seizures are part of Revenue's ongoing 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.

(MH/CD)

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