Updated 6.52pm
GARDAÍ IN CO Louth have recovered €850,000 worth of tobacco and some 60 litres of un-distilled alcohol at a premises in Dundalk.
A search of the private dwelling in Proleek, Ravensdale, was conducted at 7.45am this morning and various other items like 8,720 cigarettes as well as counterfeit ‘Amber Leaf’ and ‘Flandia’ pouches and Dutch tax stamps were seized. In total, it is believed the tobacco haul would have a potential loss the the Exchequer of €1 million.
Revenue described the premises as a “large scale cottage-type industry for preparing and packaging illegal roll-your-own tobacco”. It is believed that this is the first such operational facility uncovered in Ireland.
The labels in the picture above, which were also discovered in the search, indicate the intention was to try to pass the alcohol off as Smirnoff vodka.
The scene has now been sealed off for a technical examination and the items seized will be taken for analysis. Gardaí said there have been no arrests at this time in connection to the seized items though two non-Irish nationals were questioned.
In a separate joint operation between Revenue and gardaí, herbal cannabis with a street value of €46,000 was seized in Killarney this afternoon. A 24-year-old man was arrested in connection with it.
First published 5.55pm
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