Revenue Seize 10.59 Million Cigarettes
In an operation, code named 'Operation CLEO', Revenue's Customs officers, supported by An Garda Siochana, seized 10.59m contraband "Gold Classic" cigarettes with a street value of €3.78 million, a potential loss to the exchequer of €3.38 million.
The cigarettes, were concealed in a Lo/Lo maritime container which arrived at Dublin Port from Egypt, and were declared on the manifest as 'bedroom furniture'.
The container arrived into Dublin Port in the early hours of Friday morning (02/10/2009) and was placed under surveillance by Customs. The subsequent operation, which continued into Saturday morning, resulted in the seizure of the cigarettes and the container along with a truck and trailer, in the Dundalk area of Co Louth.
A 32 year old Irish male was arrested by the gardai for questioning and was later released without charge.
Investigations are ongoing both nationally and Internationally.
Seizures of cigarettes by Customs officers for the period January to August 2009 amount to 60,691,264, with a retail value of €25,566,195. The latest seizure brings the total seized to date by Revenue to approximately 75m cigarettes with a retail value of approximately €30.5m.
[Ends: 05/10/2009]