Revenue seize cigarettes in Dublin and Rosslare

Today (13/04/2021), as a result of routine profiling, Revenue officers seized 40,000 cigarettes at Dublin Airport following the search of a number of checked baggage of passengers that had disembarked a flight from Sofia, Bulgaria.

Separately, yesterday (12/04/2021), and also as a result of routine profiling, Revenue Officers seized approximately 29,600 cigarettes at Rosslare Europort.

The illegal cigarettes were discovered when Revenue Officers stopped and searched a Czech registered van that had disembarked a ferry from Cherbourg, France. The search, which was carried out with the assistance of Revenue’s mobile x-ray scanner, led to the discovery of the cigarettes concealed within a mattress in the load.

A Czech national in his 40s was questioned.

The cigarettes seized as a result of both operations were of various brands and have a combined retail value of €49,000, representing a loss to the Exchequer of over €38,500.

Investigations into both seizures are ongoing.

These seizures are part of Revenue’s ongoing operations targeting the supply of illegal tobacco products. If businesses or members of the public have any information regarding smuggling they can contact Revenue in confidence on the confidential free phone number 1800 295 295.

[ENDS 13/04/2021]