Revenue seizes contraband cigarettes and cannabis worth over €7.5 million

Eva Osborne

In recent days, Revenue officers have seized illicit cigarettes and cannabis worth over €7.5 million.

7,920,000 cigarettes, with an estimated value of €7.1 million, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of €5.6 million and 22.5kgs of herbal cannabis with an estimated value of €450,000 were seized.

The illicit cigarettes were discovered, with the assistance of detector dog Milo, when Revenue officers stopped and searched an unaccompanied container which had disembarked a ship from Rotterdam.

The herbal cannabis was discovered, with the assistance of detector dog Dara, in vacuum-packed drugs within the baggage of a passenger who had disembarked a flight from Ibiza.

Investigations are ongoing.

These seizures are part of Revenue's ongoing operations targeting the importation of illegal drugs and the supply and sale of illegal tobacco products.