3.3 Million Cigarettes Seized in Dublin
Officers from Revenue’s Customs service seized approximately 3.3 million contraband cigarettes today (14/06/2007) after a lengthy surveillance operation, code named Operation 'Jacob'. The cigarettes, with a retail value of in excess of €1m, were found concealed in the bases of two flat-rack containers, which had arrived by ship into Dublin Port on 25th May from Saudi Arabia. The potential loss of revenue, had the cigarettes been successfully diverted on the domestic market, has been calculated as €880,000.
The containers were stacked one on top of the other for ease of transportation. Surveillance was maintained on the containers over a two-week period, which included observation of the containers being delivered to a rural area of Co. Tipperary last weekend, when officers finally moved in on a premises. Three people have been questioned in relation to the smuggling attempt. Investigations are continuing both nationally & internationally.
Smuggling of cigarettes in flat-rack containers is now recognised internationally as a particularly effective method used by sophisticated groups to smuggle contraband. Flat-rack containers do not normally attract the attention of law enforcement, as they appear at face value to be empty container bases i.e. empty trailers.
Photographs available.
[Ends 14/07/2006]