Gardaí seize 50k cigarettes at checkpoint

A ROUTINE Garda checkpoint in a Co Cork town has led to the seizure of 50,000 cigarettes.

Gardaí operating a checkpoint at the Lakeview roundabout in Midleton stopped a car on Saturday night and became suspicious of the occupants.

Following a search of the vehicle they uncovered &cigarettes which had a street value of approximately €20,000.

Gardaí immediately called the Revenue’s Customs service in Cork which dispatched officers to the scene.

Four men, understood to be Polish, were taken to Midleton Garda Station where they were questioned by gardaí and customs officers.

Customs officials also seized a car during the operation.

The four men were subsequently released without charge.

A spokesman for the Revenue’s Customs service said their investigations are continuing.

Retailers and cigarette manufacturers have welcomed the latest seizure in Cork.

A packet of 20 illegal cigarettes can be purchased for as little as €4 – less than half the retail price of cigarettes.

Just last month the Revenue’s Customs service carried out a major operation in Cork city which netted them 100,000 cigarettes and 10kg of tobacco.

On October 1, armed with search warrants, a team of 18 officers from Revenue’s Customs raided 11 houses in the Blackpool and Farranree areas.

The raids were part of an intelligence led operation, codenamed Cue Ball and resulted from investigations into the sale of contraband and counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco in Cork.

The seized items had a street value of €40,000.

Officers also seized a car, cash and mobile phones as part of the operation and questioned five people.

A Revenue spokesperson said anyone tempted to buy cheap cigarettes from an irregular source of supply should be aware that there is a high possibility that they are buying counterfeit products, which provide an unknown set of risks as the product is not the subject of quality control.