Retail Ireland: Cigarette smuggling costs more than €500m to Exchequer

Retail Ireland is calling on the Government to tackle tobacco smuggling which it says is seriously damaging the public finances.

The organisation, which is part of IBEC, added that vigorous action must be taken to combat such illegal activity.

It comes as new figures from the Revenue Commissioners and the Office for Tobacco Control show that more than 20% of all cigarettes consumed in Ireland are smuggled.

Retail Ireland said the cost to the Exchequer through cigarette smuggling is more than €500m which needs to be recouped in light of the country's finance crisis.