Revenue seizes khat and cigarettes

As part of an on going operation targeting the illegal importation, sale and supply of cigarettes, Revenue officers this morning (25/9/15) seized 130,000 cigarettes with a retail value of €67,000* in Cork City.

The 'NZ Slims' cigarettes , which had arrived from Poland, were seized at a commercial premises and were concealed in mannequins, similar to two previous seizures earlier this week.

Investigations are on going.

In a separate, intelligence-led joint operation involving Revenue and An Garda Síochána, officers seized approximately 18kg of dried Khat with an estimated street value of €3,600 in Ennis, Co. Clare on Wednesday (23/9/15).

The drugs were seized following the controlled delivery of a package, which had originated in Kenya having been detected earlier in freight at Shannon Airport.
A 30 year old Ethiopian male was arrested and detained under drug trafficking legislation, at Ennis Garda Station.

Investigations are on-going.

Ends: 25/09/2015

* The cigarettes represent a potential loss to the Exchequer of over €50,600. This is assuming that it would have displaced the equivalent full tax paid quantity of the cigarettes.