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CUSTOMS OFFICERS SEIZED 3.5 million cigarettes at Rosslare Europort last night.
The “L&M” brand cigarettes have a reported retail value of €1.4 million – and represented a potential loss to the Exchequer of €1.2 million.
The contraband arrived into Rosslare in a 40ft roll-on roll-off on container on a ferry from Cherbourg, according to the Revuenue.
The consignment was labelled as “paper products” and originated in Spain.
A Romanian driver of an Irish registered truck, which is owned by an Irish-based haulage company, was interviewed by officials.
Revenue officials said that investigations were ongoing both nationally and internationally in relation to the haul, and issued a reminder to anyone tempted to buy cheap cigarettes from an irregular source of supply that there is a high possibility they are buying counterfeit goods, which provide an unknown set of health risks as the product is not the subject of quality control.
Such products also takes much needed funds from the exchequer; hurts legitimate trade and is funding criminal activity, officials said.
Anyone with information regarding the smuggling or sale of illegal cigarettes, are asked to contact Revenue in confidence on free phone number 1800 295 295.
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This is what happens when cigarettes are over priced in this country.
Reduce the price here and you take away the profits of the smugglers.
How much by?
He’s right, over taxing any good creates a black market of distribution. And if you’re wondering how much you need to reduce the price by, its down to how much people don’t mind paying for the legality of state cigarettes.
Cigarettes and weed, great now how about some of these armed criminal gangs being apprehended, or how about some white collar criminals, bankers, developers politicians, when are we going to see some of these guys rounded up and put behind bars?
It’s ireland, you can get away with anything hence why foreign criminals thrive in this country
Steve. It used to be around €5.50 tax per box of 20 cigarettes. Ireland is one of the most expensive countries for alcohol and tobacco products
It’s currently €6.70 per box. That’s pure tax. Saying try are raising it to encourage people to stop is a joke. It’s easy money. If everyone stopped it would cost the government a fortune and taxes across the board would go up
It just goes to show how much these guys can make from smuggling. It cost them circa €200,000 to buy these cigarettes that’s about €1.15 per pack. Sell them on at €5 a pack and total profit is about €473000.
put the price of 20 up to €10 as well as removing all branding and banning all remaining advertising. then start treating the smugglers like criminals and haul them for 15 years for 1st offence and reintroduce hard labour into the prison system!
Lol
I don’t think you thought that one through Foggy. The reason people buy dodgy fags is because of the high price and you are proposing to make it even higher. Why pay €10 for one pack when you can buy 2 packs for a fiver?
Branding is being considered in the UK but will this really stop people? Other addictive substances don’t have branding. When was the last time you saw Gardai display a cocaine, heroin or cannabis haul that was branded? Finally 15 years hard labor would probably be challenged in in ECHR as disproportionate seeing as how the Government sells the same product legally.
What about white collar criminals who have stolen billions from the public purse ? What do you suggest for the bankers who stole fuel allowances from old ladies this winter, what’s the difference between their crimes and the guy who slips in the back door and robs her purse, other than the amount taken?
we should reduce a pack to 5 euro. kill off this illegal business. people themselves have to choose to give up for gods sake. next they will tell up when to go to the toilet. dont give me the its good for your health spiel, its amazing how the price rose with the fall off in numbers of smokers. they just pushed too far and now half the country buy contraband. i don’t smoke by the way but feel sorry for poorer people that do.
One crowd of gangsters stealing from another crowd of gangsters.
Very true…
Yeah Brian. In France I think I paid €5.20 last year. Ireland is staggeringly expensive. Alcohol too is crazy. You pay through the nose living on an island!!!!
Actually Ireland is quite cheap once ya have been to Australia, pack of 20 smokes upwards of 15$, alcohol; pint could 12/13$ buying a “cheap” bottle of vodka looking at paying 35$ upwards, can of coke 5$, having lived in oz for a few months, feel people should stop saying how expensive things are here, cos Australia is hugely more expensive!
Editor… I doubt if it was the ‘customers’ officers seized them! It would have been a smash grab and run excercise!!
Editor, funny.
It all boils down to the same thing. 3 easy tax raisers for any government. Tobacco, alcohol and road vehicle fuel. The problem is that politicians don’t appear to see that increasing tax on Diesel fuel increases the price of all consumer goods. Also when money gets tight people look for the cheaper alternatives. Smuggled tobacco products, poitin and washed agricultural diesel. All products where criminal elements can make large amounts of money.
When will our incompetent politicians start to wake up and smell the coffee????
have your say