More details on cigarettes seizure

A number of people in Donegal have been questioned in relations to the seizure of millions of cigerattes.

The seizure was made by custom’s official in a surveillance operation code named Operation Marble.

More details have emerged of the seizure by the Revenue’s Customs Service of seven million contraband cigarettes.

The Cigaretted have an estimated retail value of €3m and potential loss to the exchequer of €2.5m.

The cigarettes, which are believed to be counterfeit, were concealed in a 40 foot container which arrived at Dublin Port from China via Rotterdam.

The contents of the container were described as “Ceramic Tiles”.

The operation, which spanned over several days, resulted in the seizure of “Benson & Hedges” cigarettes and an articulated truck in Co. Louth.

Follow-up searches under warrant were carried out on two private premises in Donegal yesterday.

Several individuals in both Co. Donegal and Co. Louth have been interviewed.

Custom’s say Investigations are ongoing both nationally and internationally.