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Illegal tobacco raid ‘too soon’  

Investigators acted prematurely in raiding a warehouse in Co Louth that had just accepted part of a consignment of 120m illegal cigarettes last week, a security source has claimed.

Suspects were not given time to unload or examine the haul, which was hidden inside bales of animal feed, the security source said. When gardai and customs officers entered, the suspects indicated that they did not know anything about the contraband, which remained hidden.

Security sources fear any gap in the chain of evidence could hinder any possible prosecutions.

There may have been other operational reasons for the timing of the raid. A spokesman for the Revenue Commissioners said that it was not policy to comment on operational matters.

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