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The Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan T.D., congratulated Revenue on their continued success in tackling cigarette smuggling
The Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan T.D., today (24/6/2014) congratulated Revenue on their continued success in tackling cigarette smuggling. The Revenue Commissioners seized 32m cigarettes and 4,500kgs of water pipe tobacco at Drogheda – with a total retail value of approximately €14m.
Congratulating Revenue on their recent seizures Minister Noonan said: "This intelligence-led seizure represents a significant potential loss to the Exchequer and is a significant blow to the criminals involved in this illicit trade. This is the largest seizure of cigarettes in Europe to date this year. The successful operation targeted the criminal activities of an international organised crime group headed up by Irish and UK nationals based in Europe”
Note to Editors:
The seizure represents a potential loss to the Exchequer of nearly €13m. This is assuming that it would have displaced the equivalent full tax paid quantity of cigarettes and tobacco