Illegal cigarettes worth €1.4m seized in Galway, Louth

Black market cigarettes and tobacco valued at more than €1.5 million have been seized in counties Galway and Louth.

A search by Revenue customs officials at a commercial property in Athenry, Co Galway yesterday yielded a haul of some 2 million Benson & Hedges brand cigarettes, which were valued at €950,000.

The cigarettes were brought into the State from Belgium through Dublin Port, Revenue said.

Separately, gardaí and Revenue officials discovered a haul of 1.2 million cigarettes, valued at €550,000, and 400kg of tobacco, valued at €180,000, during a search of a property at Faughart near Dundalk. Counterfeit vodka was also discovered during the search.

Nobody has been arrested in connection with the hauls, which Revenue said if sold on the black market would have resulted in a loss of more than €1.3 million to the exchequer.