Garda to be questioned over missing 20,000 cigarettes

A MEMBER of the Garda National Drugs Unit is expected to be questioned in relation to the disappearance of 20,000 smuggled cigarettes.

The garda will be interviewed by senior officers who are carrying out an investigation on the direct orders of Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne.

Commissioner Byrne set up the inquiry after the cigarettes, part of an original haul of 1.5 million cigarettes seized from a Midlands gang, went missing.

The 20,000 cigarettes would have a retail value of over €5,800.

The investigation is also likely to highlight any deficiencies with the system of storing and disposing of hauls, including cigarettes and drugs.

The haul was seized by the Garda National Drugs Unit on July 11, 2002 in a rural area near Tullamore, Co Offaly.

A 48-year-old man was subsequently charged under the Excise Duty Act by customs.

Garda authorities were alerted after customs officials last month sought the original consignment to aid their ongoing investigation. Customs officials counted the cigarettes and discovered a large quantity was missing.

In a separate incident, gardaí recovered around 10,000 cigarettes which had been stolen from a premises in south Dublin last month. Gardaí suspect they were part of the 20,000 missing cigarettes.

Commissioner Byrne has appointed Chief Superintendent Noel Smith of the Dublin South division to head an inquiry.

He will be focusing on the three garda stations involved, Tullamore, the GNDU and Santry. It is understood particular attention will be paid to a garda within the GNDU.

The investigation is also likely to draw attention to practices involved in the safe security of hauls and whether additional procedures need to be introduced.