REVENUE HAVE SEIZED a consignment of 9 million illegal cigarettes at Dublin Port today which they estimated at a retail value of €6.8 million.

With the use of Revenue’s mobile x-ray scanner and detector dog Waffles, Revenue discovered the  cigarettes branded ‘Lambert & Butler’ which represent a potential loss to the Exchequer of approximately €5.3 million in taxes.

Cannabis valued at €112,000 was also seized recently by Revenue officers during an examination of air cargo consignments at Dublin Airport.

The herbal cannabis seized yesterday
5.6kgs of herbal cannabis was concealed in a parcel described as “textiles” that had originated in Spain and was intended for an address in Dublin.

This followed a separate incident on Wednesday when a cash seizure of €84,800 was made at Dublin Airport when Revenue officers stopped and searched a passenger prior to boarding a flight to Istanbul, Turkey.

The cash is suspected to be the proceeds of, or intended for use in, criminal activity and is detained by Revenue in accordance with proceeds of crime legislation.

Revenue officers were granted a three-month cash detention order by Judge Bryan Smyth at Dublin District Court yesterday.

Investigations are ongoing in all three cases.