Customs officers seize cigarettes in Cork
Officers from Revenue's Customs service, supported by Gardai, in Cork yesterday (06/02/2008) seized almost 200,000 cigarettes in a number of operations targeting the illegal importation and sale of cigarettes.
A Moldovan national was intercepted in a motor vehicle in Fermoy and following a search of the vehicle 60,000 smuggled cigarettes and the motor vehicle were seized. In a follow up operation in the North side of Cork City a further 22,000 cigarettes were discovered.
In a separate operation and following a period of surveillance of eastern European flights into Cork, approximately 110,000 cigarettes were seized. A number of people have been questioned and files are being prepared for the DPP in all cases. The cigarette brands are a mixture of Marlboro, Marlboro lights and L&M.
Last week at Cork District Court a Lithuanian National was sentenced to one month in prison for the attempted evasion of payment of Excise Duty on 17,560 cigarettes. The man had arrived in Cork Airport on a flight from Amsterdam on the 30/01/08, having travelled from the Ukraine, when he was intercepted by Customs officers.
A total of 500,000 cigarettes with a value of €182,000 and a potential loss of revenue amounting to €146,0000 have been seized in Cork to-date this year.
[Ends 07/02/2008]