Huge haul of smuggled cigarettes seized

More than 3.2 million smuggled cigarettes were seized at Dublin Port today by customs officers.

The Regal, Sovereign and SuperKing-branded packets were discovered in a container marked “pottery and ornaments”, which was packed in Alicante, Spain.

A Revenue spokesman said the seizure, which represented a potential loss of revenue to the Exchequer of €1m, was made when officers searched cargo which arrived on a ferry from Bilbao.

“The find resulted from risk profiling,” he said.

“Customs officers have begun an investigation in co-operation with the authorities in Spain.”