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Revenue

Customs have been busy this week, seizing tobacco, cocaine, cash and alcohol

Some of the seizures include 1.1 million cigarettes, 3,500 litres of spirits and 49 pellets of cocaine.

THE REVENUE’S CUSTOMS Service have had a busy week. This week they have seized an array of things in Dublin Airport, Dublin Port and other locations around the country.

Today an intelligence led operation from Revenue’s Customs Service seized approximately 1.1 million cigarettes in Dublin Port. The cigarettes have an estimated retail value of approximately €515,000 and potential loss to the exchequer of €405,000.

Yesterday afternoon, officers seized 3 kilogrammes of cocaine with an estimated street value of €210,000 from a Polish national who had arrived on a flight from Peru via Amsterdam.

Officers searched her baggage and discovered cocaine in packages marked “con Carne”.  The woman in her twenties was handed over to the gardaí and is due to appear in court this evening.

Yesterday, Customs’ dog Harvey also made a discovery during an operation code named “Coco”.

imageHarvey (Revenue’s Customs Service)

1,800 unstamped cigarettes, 3.5 kilogrammes of roll-your-own tobacco, €12,200 in cash and a commercial vehicle in Cork were seized. The cigarettes and tobacco had a retail value of €2,463 and a potential loss to the Exchequer of €1,946.

Cash Seizures at Dublin Airport

Following a separate seizure yesterday at Dublin Airport, detention orders were granted by Judge Patricia McNamara today in the Courts of Criminal Justice in respect of two amounts of cash of €8,000 and €9,000, respectively, seized from two Lithuanian males who were about to embark a flight to Alicante.

Judge Patricia McNamara also granted a detention order yesterday in respect of a cash seizure made on Wednesday amounting to €10,035 made up of Euro and Sterling from an individual intending to embark on a flight to Lagos via Abu Dhabi.

Alcohol Seizure at Dublin Port

Officers from Revenue’s Customs Service at Dublin Port last Sunday morning and in a linked operation on Monday seized 3,500 litres of spirits, 900 litres of beer and a quantity of champagne with an estimated retail value of €115,100 and a potential loss to the Exchequer of €70,064.

The alcohol was detected in a number of vehicles entering the State through Dublin Port.  A number of people were questioned in relation to the seizure and investigations are continuing.

Cocaine Swallower at Dublin Airport

Officers seized 0.5 kilogrammes of cocaine with an estimated street value of €35,000 when a 37-year -old Irish male arrived in on a flight from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Officers from Revenue’s Customs Service suspected drugs had been swallowed and handed him over to the gardaí.

The man later produced 49 pellets of cocaine and appeared at the Courts of Criminal Justice on Monday where he was remanded in custody by Judge Patricia McNamara.

Read: Tobacco-detection dog sniffs out 52,400 illegal cigarettes>

Read: Ralph the dog helps Revenue seize €1.5 million of heroin at Rosslare port>

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