€7m worth of drugs, cigarettes, and contraband seized in Cork, Dublin, and Athlone

On Sunday, customs officials seized 3.4 million cigarettes, with an estimated value of €2.9m, at the Port of Cork after a search of an unaccompanied trailer which had arrived from Zeebrugge, Belgium

Detector Dog Rua, who assisted with the seizure of 3.42 million cigarettes worth €2.9m at Port of Cork. Picture: Revenue

Revenue officers seized drugs, cigarettes, and other contraband worth more than €7m during operations in Cork, Dublin and Athlone over the past week. 

On Sunday, customs officials at the Port of Cork seized 3.4 million cigarettes, with an estimated value of €2.9m, after a search of an unaccompanied trailer which had arrived from Zeebrugge, Belgium. 

The cigarettes represented a potential loss to the exchequer of €2.25m. A man in his 20s was questioned in relation to the seizure.

Separately, at Dublin Port, Revenue officers seized 194.5kg of herbal cannabis, with an estimated value of almost €3.9m, after examining a trailer that had arrived from Rotterdam on Friday. 

The 194.5kg of herbal cannabis worth €3.89m seized at Dublin Port. Picture: Revenue

The drugs were discovered hidden in vacuum-packed packages in a consignment of suitcases.

Revenue officers also seized some other contraband while examining parcels at premises in Dublin and Athlone.

The items seized included:

• 10.4kg of herbal cannabis, with an estimated value of €207,000;
• Various quantities of other illicit drugs, with an estimated value of €2,500;
• 4,800 unstamped cigarettes, representing a potential loss to the exchequer of €2,600; 
• And a quantity of retail goods, with an estimated value of €10,750.

The drugs were found within parcels which had originated from the USA, UK, Canada, Spain, Poland, India and Thailand. The parcels were intended for addresses countrywide.

Herbal cannabis worth €87,000 seized at a premises in Dublin in recent days. Picture: Revenue

The retail goods were seized due to infringements of intellectual property rights.

"These seizures are part of Revenue's ongoing work targeting smuggling and shadow economy activity," a Revenue spokesperson said. 

"If businesses, or members of the public have any information, they can contact Revenue in confidence on 1800 295 295."