PART of a cannabis seizure, worth an estimated €60,000, confiscated by Revenue officers at Shannon Airport last week was destined for the streets of Limerick.
The seizure was the result of a risk profiling operation at the Mid West airport last Friday (January 12) in which Revenue officers found three kilogrammes of herbal cannabis with an estimated value of €60,000.
According to Revenue, the haul was destined for addresses in Limerick, Cork, and Tipperary and arrived at the airport in the form of parcels originating from the USA.
Investigations into the seizure are still ongoing, a spokesman for Revenue said.
The seizure came as part of a nationwide swoop by Revenue across last week, in which 20,000 cigarettes and an estimated €31,150 in cash were also discovered by Revenue officers.
One man appeared in court on Monday in connection with the seizure of 10,000 cigarettes at Dublin Airport the previous day. After searching the luggage of a passenger travelling from Poland, 10,000 ‘Winston’ branded cigarettes with a retail value of around €8,170 were discovered.
Revenue estimate the seizure to represent an overall €6,000 loss to the Exchequer.
Another man appeared before the courts on Saturday also in connection with the seizure of 10,000 cigarettes and three kilogrammes of untaxed tobacco at Dublin Port. It is unknown whether the two cigarette seizures are connected.
The seizure was made after Revenue officers searched the cab of a truck which had entered the country from the UK.
10,000 ‘Lambert & Butler’ and ‘Mayfair’ branded cigarettes and ‘Amber Leaf’ branded tobacco were seized worth a combined estimated retail value of almost €11,000, representing a potential Exchequer loss of over €8,400.
On Wednesday last, a cash sum of €31,150 was seized by Revenue officers at Dublin Airport, suspected to be the proceeds of, or intended for use in, criminal activity. The cash was detained by Revenue following a detention order from the Criminal Courts of Justice.
