We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
REVENUE OFFICERS HAVE seized more than 12,200 cigarettes and over 2,200 litres of alcohol at Dublin Port.
The goods have a retail value of €24,800, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of €14,460.
The majority of the contraband was uncovered on Tuesday when officers searched a foreign-registered truck that had arrived in Dublin from Holyhead, having begun its journey in Romania.
As well as the cigarettes and alcohol 3.7 tonnes of various meat products were also seized as they did not comply with EU food safety rules and could have had an impact on public and animal health.
It was a joint operation between Revenue’s Customs Service and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Revenue officers.
Separately, Revenue officers seized 1,235 litres of beer, 14 litres of spirits, 80 litres of wine and 600 smuggled cigarettes, branded ‘Chesterfield’ and ‘Winston’, during routine operations on Monday and Tuesday.
The goods had a retail value of €5,700 and a represented a potential loss to the Exchequer of €3,000.
The goods were discovered when officers conducted examinations of six vehicles that had arrived in Dublin Port from Poland, Lithuania and France.
The seizures are part of Revenue’s ongoing operations targeting the illegal importation, supply and sale of alcohol and tobacco products in the shadow economy.
Businesses or members of the public who have any information regarding the smuggling or sale of illegal cigarettes or tobacco, are being urged to contact Revenue in confidence on free phone number 1800 295 295.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Doubling your profit margin by trying to bring it in Illegally is worth a shot to these people, if they send 3 trucks and 2 get through, they are still in profit compared to going the legal route,
The Exhorbitant taxes in this country on tobacco and alcohol will guarantee that this will keep happening.
@Pixie McMullen:
Not surprising our black market is thriving. We rank in the worlds top 10 of countries with the most expensive cost of living. And it seems this government are determined to take the number 1 spot.
@Pixie McMullen: we have laws. We all have to abide by them. These people are criminals. When will this country wake up and stop considering government and public sector as The Brits. Stop blaming others and justifying crime like tax evasion, ripping off public services and dole.
I think it’s fair to say 3.7 tonnes of meat have already had an impact on animal health. What were the circumstances of this, was it refrigerated, what’s the origin of this meat etc.?
where would the meat have ended up?
@Dave Dublin: Tesco`s – Burger section
@Dave Dublin: Did you ever hear of a Monaghan-Louth firm that deals in that sort of thing —–No names mentioned but do a little research!!
@Dave Dublin: polish shops??
@John Mc Donagh: Maith an fear!
Absolutely shamefull. The alcohol is home made brandy and liquor sent to ppl living in ireland by their families. None of that would have been sold just delivered to the intended recipient.
Why shouldnt ppl living here be able to get a taste of home…
@Nafets Erupe: because, like Poteen, it’s illegal in this country
@Nafets Erupe: They can once it’s not counterfeit and duty is paid.
It’s not like they had a couple of bottles in their suitcases, you could stock an off licence with the amount they were bringing in.
@Fear Uisce: poteen is not illegal anymore. I got a lovely bottle of knockeen hills 90 per cent vol. from a shop in Dublin a couple of years ago.
@BAINNE ATHA CLIATH: Real poteen is illegal. You can buy a brand that use the poteen mark but the real stuff is better…
@BAINNE ATHA CLIATH: last i checked definiton of counterfeit had nothing to do with home made. And that was a courier mate. They where paid to transport from RO to IRL and then distribite. They wouldnt have made a penny on the actual product carried.
@Fear Uisce: illegal as in the taxman hasn’t had his cut
@Dan: It was legalised in 1997. Just because it wasn’t distilled in a bathtub in your Grandads shed doesn’t mean it’s not poteen.
@Nafets Erupe: That may be the case for some bottles, which illustrates they contain alcohol of unknown quality and standards, it might be safe, but… However the majority appears to be commercially packaged. As for the meat? Any meat that has to be bagged and placed in yellow bins, after you.
@Nafets Erupe: Because home made spirits are illegal here, for lots of reasons. Your question is more like why should they be treated the same by the law as everyone else.
@Nafets Erupe: All alcohol thats cosumeable is subject to vat.Cooking Alcohol that restaurants use is salted so its not subject to vat as its not drinkable.Dem’s da rules.Were the fags homemade too.
@Fear Uisce: why is poteen illegal . But the rest of alcohol choice isnt. Lmao. Discrimanting alcohol haha
Just tell the Customs Officer that the duty-paid cigarettes and alcohol are for personal consumption!
Cigarettes are twice the price here that they are in Germany. Wine is twice the price here than it is in France. Rip-off Ireland is alive & well
There goes my Polish cans for the weekend!
The drink will be sent to the dail bar
If it came through hollyhead the customs there definitely have it contaminated
This meat is normally a mix of moose and bear, which ever is seasonly available, shame on the importers
Didn’t know Gemma Collins was here?
@Dougal67: those bold customs staff confiscated her lunchbox.
@Micheal S. O’ Ceilleachair: excellent!!
The sooner the better we get rid of the legal system, its a modern day system of slavery
Fags and booze?
@Peter Brophy: vegans will be consuming them by the lorry load after this discovery
have your say