Over €500,000 in contraband seized in anti-smuggling operations in counties including Waterford
Some of the contraband seized in operations conducted by Revenue. Picture Credit: Revenue
Revenue has seized contraband worth almost €570,000 in Waterford, Dublin, the Midlands and Rosslare.
Over 19,700 cigarettes, with a value of approximately €17,800 and almost 2kg of rolling tobacco, with a value of €1,715, were seized in operations in Waterford, Kilkenny and the Midlands.
Revenue say the detections were made as a result of risk profiling and intelligence-led operations.
At Dublin Airport, Revenue seized 3kg of cocaine, with an estimated value of over €205,000.
Revenue officers searched three passengers and their baggage after they disembarked a flight from Paris.
The passengers, two men in their 30s and a woman in her 20s were arrested and have since appeared before the courts.
Over 14kg of herbal cannabis, with an estimated value of over €280,500, was discovered while Revenue officers, with the assistance of detector dogs Ciara, Grace and Sam, were examining parcels at premises in Dublin and the Midlands.
Cannabis resin (2.5kg), with an estimated value of €14,800 and various other illicit drugs, with an estimated value of €2,600, were found in parcels originating from the USA, the UK, Canada, Thailand, France, Spain, Italy, Croatia and the Netherlands, and were headed to addresses across the country.
Revenue also seized 395 counterfeit items, with an estimated value of almost €40,000. Those goods have been confirmed by the rights holder to have infringed on Intellectual Property Rights.
Additionally, over 164 litres of alcohol, with a retail value of €4,200 and representing a potential loss to the Exchequer €1,600, were seized in Rosslare Europort and the Midlands.
Numerous weapons were also seized in operations across the country.
Investigations into all seizures are ongoing.
Revenue say the seizures are part of ongoing operations targeting smuggling and shadow economy activity.
They ask that if businesses or members of the public have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on 1800 295 295.
