Officers from Revenue's Custom Service seized 3.8 million cigarettes, with an estimated retail value of €1.5m and a potential loss to the Exchequer of €1.3m, in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford today.
The '821 Red' brand cigarettes arrived into Dublin Port from Rotterdam in a groupage maritime container and were subsequently seized in Enniscorthy in a customs operation.
Two men were interviewed and investigations are ongoing.
In a separate operation yesterday afternoon, 12,000 'West' brand cigarettes were seized at Dublin Airport and a 53 year-old Polish man was arrested. He appeared this morning in the Court of Criminal Justice and was remanded in custody, by Judge Denis McLoughlin, to appear at Clover Hill next Wednesday.
These seizures are part of Revenue's ongoing operations targeting the smuggling and sale of illegal cigarettes. Anyone with any information about the smuggling or sale of illegal cigarettes can contact Revenue in confidence on free phone number 1800 295 295.