DUBLIN: Customs officers have scored a major victory in the battle against smugglers after seizing 50 million cigarettes in 10 months.
The Irish Mirror can reveal Revenue officers made 5,025 separate swoops between January and the end of October.
They also impounded 9,560kgs of tobacco in 867 operations.
The record haul makes 2014 one of the most successful to date in the war on counterfeit tobacco.
While these smuggled cigarettes would have cost the Exchequer tens of millions of euro they’re also more dangerous for smokers’ health.
And with the huge crackdown, Customs officers will be keeping up the pressure in 2015 to stub out the tobacco black market.
