THIS is detector dog, Casey, who helped Revenue’s Customs Service seize 900,000 cigarettes at Dublin Port today.
The cigarettes were detected in five pallets which were consigned as ‘catering equipment’ and had arrived into Dublin from the Netherlands. The smuggled cigarettes were branded ‘Mayfair’. Investigations are ongoing with a view to prosecution.
In separate operations, on Sunday morning Revenue officers seized 7,000 cigarettes when they conducted searches, under court warrant, of two houses in Castletownbere, West Cork. Detective dog Harvey assisted in the searches, which resulted in the seizure of 7,000 ‘NZ’ cigarettes, and a car. Two Lithuanian men in their 40s were questioned and a prosecution file is being prepared.
In Dublin Airport last Wednesday, October 5, Revenue officers seized 22,000 cigarettes when they stopped and searched two men who had arrived on a flight from Istanbul. The 48-year-old Bulgarian and 37-year-old Moldovan were arrested at the scene and appeared before Judge Halpin in the District court. They were remanded in custody to Cloverhill prison and will appear in court again tomorrow.
The total value of the seized cigarettes is €511,000, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of €412,000.
A Revenue spokesperson said: “These seizures are part of our ongoing operations targeting the supply and sale of illegal cigarettes in the shadow economy. The majority of people pay the right amount of tax and duty. If you know someone is evading tax or involved in smuggling, report it.”
You can contact Revenue’s Confidential Freephone on 1800 295 295.