Philippines next stop for customs investigation into massive haul

CUSTOMS officials are flying out to the Philippines in the coming days as part of a massive investigation into the smuggling of 120 million cigarettes into Ireland.

Meanwhile, gardaí are investigating the background and associations of seven Irish people arrested following the haul. Detectives are trying to identify the “brains” behind the mammoth operation.

It emerged yesterday that customs seized €30,000 in cash under the Proceeds of Crime legislation during their searches of four premises in Co Louth on Tuesday.

They also confiscated documentation and at least one computer, which will all be forensically examined. They also seized three trucks.

The cigarettes were brought into Greenore Port in Co Louth on Monday on board a cargo ship, the M/V Anne Scan, which left the Philippines on September 15.

The ship was brought to Dublin Port yesterday morning to begin offloading the haul which is expected to take two days.

Six of the seven Irish nationals — two from the North — were released late on Tuesday. The seventh, a well-known criminal from Co Louth, and two foreign nationals, the captain and first officer of the vessel, were released last night. A file will be prepared for the DPP.

Head of Customs Investigations, Dave Goodwin, yesterday said the next phase was to go to the Philippines and examine all aspects of the export of the consignment.

“Immediate arrangements are being made. The whole thing is to strike while the iron is hot,” he said.

Customs officials will travel out with experts from the EU Anti-Fraud Office, who are coordinating the international inquiries.

Mr Goodwin said they want to examine any export documents there, as well as details of payments. He hopes the authorities there will also help them find out where the cigarettes were procured, where the bagging took place and the circumstances of the loading and shipping.

He said the fact that there were five brands of cigarettes in the load may suggest several sources.

Mr Goodwin said it was highly unusual for criminals to “put all their eggs in one basket”.

“Normally they spread their loads. They might expect one to be caught and the others to get through. This was a serious risk. They must have been pretty confident.”

He said the choice of Greenore Port was interesting. “It’s close to the border, not heavily staffed by customs and it was a bank holiday.”

Mr Goodwin said the size of the haul meant it was “not just for our market” and suggested that Britain, with a population of 60 million, was a likely destination for much of it.

Customs are awaiting the cargo ship’s owners, thought to be German, to come forward. They should have information as to who chartered the vessel.