Three questioned in connection with cigarette haul

Three men are being questioned by gardaí today after the seizure of 6.5 million contraband cigarettes.

The consignment of Palace and Capital brand were found at a premises in Collon, Co Louth after arriving into Dublin port from Belgium yesterday.

Customs officers put the haul’s value at €2.7m with the loss to the Exchequer at €2.1m. Two commercial vehicles and a trailer were also seized.

Three men, two with addresses in Co Louth and one with an address in Dublin, were arrested and are being held at Dundalk Garda Station.

The total number of cigarettes seized to date this year amounts to approximately €70m with a retail value of approximately €24m.