Three appear in court over cigarette seizure

Three British citizens appeared in court in Dundalk, Co Louth, today in connection with the seizure of 80 million smuggled cigarettes in the town earlier today.

The cigarettes were discovered on a boat which is believed to have left Gibraltar on December 1st.

Another person arrested in connection with the haul was released without charge.

Gardai said this morning’s seizure was the largest ever in Ireland’s history. If sold in the shops, the cigarettes would have been worth almost £16m.

The three accused are Robert Tibbs, from London, Frederick Carey, from Kent, and Terence Wall, from Cardiff.

They were all charged with evading the payment of almost £16m in excise duty and with attempting to defraud the Irish State.

According to Customs officials, these charges carry penalties of up to five years in prison and/or fines of up to £10,000.

All three men were remanded in custody to reappear before the same court tomorrow.