More than 10 million cigarettes worth almost €5 million were seized at Dublin Port yesterday. A container with contents described on the manifest as “furniture” held the contraband cigarettes. The consignment contained 6.8 million Mayfair cigarettes and 3.7 million Benson and Hedges cigarettes.
It represented a potential exchequer loss of some €3.5 million, a spokeswoman for the Customs Service said. Retailers Against Smuggling spokesman Benny Gilsenan said retailers could not cope with the losses from illegal cigarette trade. Ireland was seen as a “soft touch” by international criminals, he added.