7.6 million contraband cigarettes seized at Dublin Port

The cigarettes, of brands which are not otherwise sold in Ireland, were stored in a shipment described as ‘furniture’.

OFFICIALS FROM the Revenue Commissioners’ customs service have seized 7.6 million contraband cigarettes in a shipment from Dublin Port.

The cigarettes, thought to have a street retail value of about €2.9 million, were recovered at the port yesterday, where they had arrived from Zeebrugge in Belgium.

The cigarettes – carrying the ‘Capital’ and ‘Master’ brands – were disguised in a shipment marked as ‘furniture’.

A Revenue spokeswoman said the cigarettes had been found after a routine search with a mobile scanner prompted a more thorough examination.

An Irish-registered commercial vehicle and trailer were seized, while the driver of the shipment was interviewed.

The haul brings to 80.8 million the number of illegally imported cigarettes seized by the Revenue date in 2012.

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