‘Foreign gangs’ controlling drugs and illegal cigarettes

A NORTHSIDE retailer has warned that foreign criminal gangs see Ireland as a

“great place to do business in

?.

A NORTHSIDE retailer has warned that foreign criminal gangs see Ireland as a

“great place to do business in

?.

Benny Gilsenan, who owns a shop in central Dublin, claims there’s at least four gangs controlling the drugs and illegal cigarette trade in his area.

Gilsenan is a spokesman for Retailers Against Smuggling (RAS), which represents approximately 3,000 independent retailers across Ireland in the fight against black market trade.

The most recent Revenue Commissioners’ defaulters list shows most people convicted for cigarette smuggling during the last three months of 2014 were foreign nationals.

RAS say overseas crime gangs view Ireland as an easy target for smuggling and continue to operate here.

“The message is clear; Ireland is still a great place to come and do business in – if your business is crime,

? said Gilsenan.

“The Revenue list shows that nearly all of the criminals convicted of smuggling were foreign nationals. This shows that apart from our own home-grown criminal gangs at the border, retailers have to contend with foreign criminal gangs going about their illegal business with impunity.

?

None of the eight people convicted of smuggling between October and December 2014 were jailed. Two received two year suspended sentences, one got 200 hours of community service and five received fines of between

?¬2,000 and

?¬3,500.

Gilsenan says such penalties are meaningless and claimed fines were rarely if ever paid.

“Most of the criminals involved in smuggling are making so much money that a few thousand euro is like small change to them,

? he added.

“We need the Government to start coming down harder on people who repeatedly break the law and conspire to put retailers out of business.

?

Mr Gilsenan also expressed concern that the Revenue figures included a number of Irish people who were caught selling illegal cigarettes.

“We are worried that instead of being rivals, Irish and foreign crime gangs are now working together and are building up an international network,

? he said.

Among the measures that RAS are calling for to tackle the smuggling issue are more resources for the Revenue Commissioners, a ban on the sale of tobacco at markets and the imposition of a minimum fine of

?¬10,000 on conviction for smuggling offences.

Last month RAS represenatives met a delegation of Dublin TDs, including Maureen O’Sullivan (Ind), to outline their concerns about the impact of the black market on the independent retail sector.