Polish man gets suspended sentence for smuggling cigarettes

A Polish man has received a two-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for smuggling 28,900 cigarettes worth over €9,000 into Ireland.

Arthur Stendera (aged 49) was fined €200 for a similar offence involving 9,000 cigarettes just over a year before his latest excise duty evasion.

Stendera, a father-of-three of Churchfield, Clane, Co. Kildare, pleaded guilty to evasion of excise duty at Dublin Airport on October 21, 2006. He has one previous conviction in this jurisdiction.

Ms Anne Mooney, a Dublin Airport customs officer, said Stendera claimed he had intended to sell the cigarettes to friends to raise money for dental treatment in Ireland.

Ms Mooney told Mr Colm O’Briain BL, prosecuting, that she discovered the cigarettes stashed in Stendera’s luggage as he arrived back from the Canaries with his wife.

Mr O’Briain outlined to Judge Patricia Ryan that she could impose the greater fine of either €10,000 or three times the amount of the items.

He submitted that she could also impose a maximum five years' jail time instead of or with the fine.

Mr Seán Ó Siothcháin BL, defending, submitted to Judge Ryan that she could reduce the fine in mitigating circumstances but told her his client was on disability allowance with no means at present to pay any money back.

Judge Ryan imposed a suspended sentence explaining that she had “no discretion” to go below a €14,000 fine in this case.