A massive amount of cigarettes and tobacco was seized by Revenue officials at Dublin Airport this week.
A whopping 187,000 cigarettes and 38.5kgs of tobacco were discovered as a result of routine profiling over the course of the week.
The items had a combined value of over €151,000.
Almost 97,000 cigarettes, branded ‘Winston’ and ‘Minsk’, were discovered concealed in steel cases described as ‘air filters’. The air cargo consignments had arrived into the State from Italy and were destined for consignees in counties Navan, Laois, and Carlow.
A total of 1kg of raw tobacco concealed inside emptied and resealed tins of ‘cat food’ and ‘dog food’.
The smuggled tobacco arrived into the State from Poland and Spain and was destined for consignees in counties Dublin and Monaghan.
7.5kgs of ‘Amber Leaf’ roll your own tobacco, discovered in the luggage of a passenger arriving from Alicante, Spain.
90,000 cigarettes, branded ‘Benson & Hedges’ and ‘L&M’, were discovered in the luggage of passengers arriving from Poland and Nigeria.
A Revenue spokeswoman said: "The illegal cigarettes and tobacco had a combined retail value of over €151,000, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of almost €122,000.
"Investigations are ongoing.
"These seizures are part of Revenue's ongoing operations targeting the importation of illegal cigarettes and tobacco products. If businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on Confidential Phone Number 1800 295 295."
