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Revenue detection dogs Harvey (left), Frankie (right) and Ben assisted in the operation. Revenue Customs Service
nose for booze
Harvey, Frankie and Ben sniff out spirits, beer and cash in big Revenue haul
A search operation was carried out over four counties.
OVER HALF A million cigarettes as well as spirits, beer, cash and three vehicles were all seized by gardaí and revenue officials in multi-county searches today.
The raids were carried out across Donegal, Mayo, Roscommon and Kildare with the retail value of the cigarettes alone placed at €238,000.
The operation involved searches of both residential and commercial premises with a number of people now being questioned by gardaí.
Revenue say the haul includes 745 litres of spirits, 185 litres of beer, three vehicles and €29,810 in cash.
In total, 23 different varieties of vodka and whiskey were included found with the alcohol being valued at €27,500.
The 524,500 cigarettes taken by the authorities include a number of brands such as ‘Marlboro Red’, ‘West’, ‘L&M’ and ‘WZ Gold’.
Customs officials say the operation was pre-planned and was the result of, “months of painstaking investigations and co-operation between Revenue and An Garda Síochána.”
Revenue’s Customs Service estimates that the potential loss to the exchequer of the haul would be €222,650 had they displaced legal sales.
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