Officers from Revenue’s Customs Service seized over €1 million worth of cigarettes in Athenry this week.
As a result of an intelligence-led operation yesterday, officers from Revenue’s Customs Service seized two million Benson and Hedges cigarettes at a commercial premises in Athenry. The cigarettes, which originated in Belgium and came in through Dublin Port, had a retail value of €950,000 and a potential loss to the Exchequer of €729,000.
The cigarettes were part of a haul with a retail value of €1.5 million and a potential loss to the Exchequer of over €1 million discovered in two separate operations involving both Revenue and An Garda Siochana this week.
In a separate joint operation last Saturday, 1.2 million cigarettes with a retail value of €550,000, over 400 kgs of tobacco with a retail value of €180,000 and a small quantity of counterfeit vodka, were seized at a private premises in Faughart, Dundalk by Revenue officers.
The total retail value amounted to €730,000 and represents a potential loss to the Exchequer of €620,000.
No arrests were made and enquiries are ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Revenue in confidence on free phone number 1800 295295.
