Revenue seize cigarettes worth €3.8m at Dublin Port in 'plastic pipes' box

The cigarettes that were recovered by Revenue. Picture: Revenue

Revenue have seized 4.8 million cigarettes as a result of a profiling exercise at Dublin Port.

As part of routine profiling at the site on Wednesday afternoon and with the assistance of detector dog Milo, officers located the cigarettes, which they estimate has a retail value of almost €3.8m.

That would have meant a potential loss to the Exchequer of approximately €2,969,000.

The smuggled cigarettes, branded ‘Lambert & Butler’, were discovered concealed in a consignment which had arrived from the Netherlands and was manifested as ‘plastic pipes’ and ‘rubber seals’.

A Revenue spokesperson said: "Investigations are ongoing.

"This seizure is part of Revenue's ongoing operations targeting smuggling, shadow economy activity and the supply of illegal tobacco products. If businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on phone number 1800 295 295."