30 Million cigarettes worth €11m seized at Dublin Port
Revenue's Customs Officers last night (22/05/2008) seized approximately 30 million contraband cigarettes. The cigarettes, including 'Palace' and 'Silk Cut' brands, with an estimated street value of €11m, were concealed in four 40-foot containers, which arrived at Dublin port from Singapore.
The containers were loaded on board a vessel at Singapore on 22 April 2008 and were subsequently transhipped at the port of Le Harve on board a feeder vessel to Dublin Port, which arrived on Wednesday 21 May 2008.
As part of a multi agency international operation spanning several weeks, the operation codenamed 'PALMAL' involved various units of Customs & Excise and An Garda Siochana, with assistance from the French Customs Service (DNRED), HM Revenue & Customs, Belfast and the Police Service from Northern Ireland (PSNI).
The four containers, which were under surveillance, moved to locations in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland before being subsequently seized simultaneously at three separate premises in Co Louth and Co Meath. In a follow-up operation a joint team, consisting of Customs Officers and Gardai, raided four premises and several people were interviewed. Investigations into the smuggling attempt are ongoing both nationally and internationally.
The operation is an example of the close working arrangements and cooperation between the various law enforcement agencies both nationally and internationally. It resulted from the establishment of a multi-agency cross border group (MACBG) in August 2007 to coordinate investigations and joint actions into the suspected smuggling activities of organised criminal groups operating on both sides of the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The agencies participating in the MACBG are Customs, An Garda Siochana, and the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) in the Republic of Ireland and HM Revenue & Customs and the PSNI in Northern Ireland.
[Ends: 23/05/2008]