11 July 2015
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
At a sitting of Fermoy District Court today (11/07/15), Gerard Rafferty, with an address in Armagh pleaded guilty to keeping for sale 30,000 unstamped cigarettes and 10kgs of roll your own tobacco. In a joint operation with An Garda Siochana, officers from Revenue’s Customs Service yesterday, (10/07/15), seized the “Black Mount” cigarettes, “7” cigarettes and “Flandria” tobacco when a car was stopped by An Garda Siochana near Fermoy. The seizure had a retail value of €19,500 and a potential loss to the Exchequer of over €15,400*. Judge Brian Sheridan imposed a custodial sentence of 6 months on Mr Rafferty. A 51 year old driver who pleaded not guilty was remanded in custody to appear again at Mallow District Court next Friday, 17 July.
In a separate operation on Thursday (9/07/15) and as a result of routine profiling, officers from Revenue’s Customs Service seized 15,000 cigarettes with a retail value of €7,500 at Cork Airport.
The “L&M Blue” cigarettes were discovered when sniffer dog “Harvey” gave an indication in respect of two suitcases belonging to a 34 year old Polish male who disembarked a flight from Lanzarote.
A file is currently being prepared and investigations are ongoing.
These seizures are part of Revenue’s on going operations targeting the supply and sale of illegal cigarettes in the shadow economy. If businesses or members of the public have any information regarding the smuggling or sale of illegal cigarettes or tobacco, they can contact Revenue in confidence on free phone number 1800 295 295.
