Revenue seizes contraband worth over €900,000 in several locations including Carlow

Revenue has seized contraband worth over €900,000 in Carlow, Athlone and Dublin. 

The seizures are part of Revenue’s ongoing operations targeting smuggling, shadow economy activity and the supply of illegal tobacco products in Ireland. 

As part of an intelligence-led operation, Revenue officers seized approximately 20kgs of ‘roll your own’ tobacco from a premises in Tullow, Carlow on Wednesday April 12.

The tobacco has a retail value of over €15,000, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of over €11,500. 

As a result of routine operations, Revenue officers examining parcels at a premises in Athlone on April 13 seized 20.1kgs of herbal cannabis and commercial quantities of prescription medication. 

The illicit drugs, with an estimated value of nearly €493,000, were discovered in parcels originating from Spain, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom and were destined for addresses in Counties Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow. 

Separately, during routine operations this week (beginning April 10) and with the assistance of detector dogs Bailey and Sam, Revenue officers examining parcels in Dublin seized contraband worth €400,000. 

These seizures included over 19kgs of herbal cannabis, 6.8kgs of hash cakes and commercial quantities of prescription medication. 

The illegal drugs were discovered in parcels originating from the USA, Canada, Spain, India and the United Kingdom and were destined for addresses throughout the country.

The parcels were declared as ‘toys’, ‘candy’, ‘bedding’, ‘clothing’ and ‘cosmetics’.

Investigations into all of these seizures are ongoing.

If businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on phone number 1800 295 295.