Customs officers seize 5.3 million cigarettes hidden in Dublin Port shipment

Officers from Revenue’s Customs Service have seized in the region of 5.3 million contraband cigarettes at Dublin Port.

The haul has an estimated retail value of €2 million, with a potential loss to the exchequer of €1.8 million.

The Raquel, Pride, Jim and Capital brand cigarettes were concealed in a shipment of industrial paper reels that arrived at Dublin Port from Rotterdam.

They were discovered by Revenue officers with a mobile scanner.

A UK-registered commercial vehicle and trailer were seized and the driver was interviewed. Investigations are continuing nationally and internationally.

This latest haul brings the total number of cigarettes seized by Customs to date this year to 55.7 million, with an estimated retail value of €24 million.