Revenue Seize Over €479,000 in Contraband Across Ireland

Revenue officers have confiscated contraband valued at over €479,250 in a series of operations conducted across Dublin, the Midlands, Rosslare Europort and Waterford over the past week.

The seizures, which took place between 6 October and 12 October, resulted from intelligence-led operations and risk profiling by Revenue officers working across multiple locations.

Among the confiscated items were 9.25kg of herbal cannabis with an estimated value exceeding €185,500, and almost 565g of Butane Honey Oil valued at nearly €11,300. Various other illicit drugs worth over €2,300 were also seized.

Tobacco products valued at almost €86,400 were confiscated, representing a potential loss to the exchequer of nearly €66,400. This included over 48,000 cigarettes seized following a search of a market in North County Dublin on Sunday, 12 October. The cigarettes had an estimated retail value of over €43,700, with a potential exchequer loss of approximately €34,500. A man in his fifties was questioned, and investigations remain ongoing.

The herbal cannabis seizures were made with the assistance of detector dogs Ciara and Sam. The parcels originated from the USA, the UK and Czech Republic, and were destined for various addresses nationwide.

Revenue officers conducted three separate cash seizures totalling over €30,000. Two occurred at Rosslare on 7 October and 11 October, involving £7,000 and €17,700 respectively. District Court judges granted three-month detention orders for both amounts. A third seizure of €4,667 occurred in County Wexford on 9 October, with Judge Treasa Kelly at Carlow District Court subsequently granting a three-month detention order.

Officers also seized 281 counterfeit items with an estimated value exceeding €163,750, confirmed by rights holders to have infringed on intellectual property rights. The counterfeit goods included items from brands such as Adidas, Nike, Rolex, Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren. Thirty-one weapons, consisting of pyrotechnics and gel pepper gas, were also confiscated.

The tobacco products seized included various brands such as Lambert & Butler, Marlboro, Silk Cut Blue and Amber Leaf, while the drugs consisted of cannabis oil, cannabis resin, edibles, assorted tablets and vape cartridges.

Revenue confirmed that investigations into all seizures are ongoing. These operations form part of Revenue's continued efforts targeting smuggling and shadow economy activity across Ireland.

Businesses or members of the public with information regarding smuggling can contact Revenue in confidence on 1800 295 295.