Two men from Northern Ireland appeared in court yesterday charged in relation to the seizure of 2.5 million smuggled cigarettes that were seized by gardaí in Co Monaghan on Tuesday evening.
The two - Mr Barry McDonald (38), Captain's Road, Forkhill, Co Armagh, and Mr John O'Hanlon (31), Drumintee, Newry, Co Down - were charged with four alleged offences.
It is alleged that the two did at Carnagarvoge, Iniskeen, Co Monaghan, on July 15th, 2003, keep for sale or delivery 2.5 million cigarettes with no tax stamps affixed; that they were concerned in the evasion of excise duty; that they attempted to evade duty on the cigarettes and that they did deal in excisable product with intent to defraud.
The men were released from Garda custody yesterday afternoon and rearrested by Customs officers, who charged them with the above offences.
They appeared before Dundalk District Court where members of the Customs and Excise Investigation Unit gave evidence.
All the charges are contrary to the Finance Act.
They were remanded in custody with consent to bail to appear again in Drogheda District Court this morning.