Cars, cash and illicit cigarettes seized during search of home in small village

Revenue officers and gardaí in Donegal seized contraband worth approximately €911,000 following a search, under warrant, of a residential premises and adjacent yards on Wednesday February 13.

The contraband seized included over 338,000 cigarettes, 12.4 kg of rolling tobacco, approximately €415,000 in cash and two vehicles.

During the course of follow up searches, a further 200,000 cigarettes were seized.

All items were seized by Revenue Customs Service along with a cash counting machine, financial documentation and mobile phones.

Gardaí are investigating suspected money laundering offences contrary to the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act, 2010.

No arrests have been made at this time and investigations are ongoing, gardaí said.

The illicit cigarettes, of various brands, and tobacco, branded ´Flandria Virginia’, have an estimated retail value of over €496,000 representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of approximately €392,000.

Revenue officers were granted a 3-month cash detention order in respect of the cash seized, by Judge Éiteáin Cunningham at Buncrana District Court.

It is suspected that the cash is the proceeds of, or intended for use in, criminal activity and is detained by Revenue in accordance with proceeds of crime legislation, gardaí said.

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The operation was conducted with the assistance of the Donegal Division of An Garda Síochána, and a number of individuals were questioned.

This seizure is part of Revenue’s ongoing operations targeting the supply and sale of illegal cigarettes and tobacco 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 1800 295 295.