Taskforce sought to tackle smuggling

A CALL has been made for an all-island taskforce to deal with smuggling and the black market.

Retailers Against Smuggling (RAS), which represents almost 3,000 retailers across the country who are fighting the problem, met a delegation of Dublin TDs, including Maureen O’Sullivan (Ind) and Derek Keating (FG), to outline their concerns about the impact of the black market on the independent retail sector and ways to combat it.

Retailers are concerned at growing levels of cigarette and fuel smuggling activity in Ireland.

In recent weeks, an illegal tobacco factory, the first of its kind in Ireland, was discovered in the border area, along with millions of euro of raw tobacco.

The meeting also took place in the same week as a report was published by the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly, which said that criminal gangs were acting with

“impunity

? in relation to fuel and tobacco smuggling and that a cross-border law enforcement taskforce was needed.

Following the meeting, RAS spokesman Benny Gilsenan, who runs a store in Dublin city centre, said they were happy that the TDs listened to what retailers had to say on the matter.

“We’re hopeful that the Government will listen to what legitimate businesspeople are concerned about and give serious consideration to setting up an all-island group to tackle smuggling head on,

? he stated.

Mr Glisenan described smuggling as a serious crime which has had a terrible effect on retailers and communities since the recession began.

“It is very lucrative for the gangs who are involved,

? he added.

“Despite efforts by some politicians and groups to downplay the scale of smuggling, the recent seizure of an illegal tobacco factory shows that this is a multi-million euro illegal business.

?

Other measures RAS is calling for include a ban on the sale of cigarettes on streets, fairs and at markets.