5 Million cigarettes seized by Revenue
Officers from Revenue's Customs service from Dublin Port today (16/03/2005) discovered 5 million contraband cigarettes valued at €1.5 Million. The cigarettes, a Scania truck and refrigerated trailer have been seized. The potential loss of revenue amounts to €1.2 Million. The 'Regal' brand cigarettes were found hidden in a container which was declared as 'frozen vegetables'.
The cigarettes originated in the Ukraine and travelled by sea from Odessa to Dublin via Rotterdam. The container was delivered to a warehouse in Drogheda. A man with an address in Monaghan has been questioned and is helping Revenue with their enquiries.
The find resulted from risk profiling.
This is the third major seizure of cigarettes by Customs officers this year, amounting to total of 13 million cigarettes with a potential loss of revenue amounting to €3.4 million.
[Ends 16/03/2005]