Tobacco.org

• Revenue opens phone line seeking information on tobacco smuggling 

TOBACCO SMUGGLING has reached record levels, with more than 127 million illegal cigarettes seized so far this year, according to the Revenue Commissioners.

This compares to 200 million cigarettes seized last year, but 120 million of these were accounted for by a single operation at Greenore, Co Louth.

The proportion of counterfeit cigarettes among those seized is also on the rise, from about 50 per cent last year to almost 80 per cent so far this year.

Revenue yesterday announced the results of a two-week crackdown on cigarette smuggling carried out this month. A confidential freephone number, 1800 295295, has also been introduced for members of the public to provide information about smuggling or the sale of illegal cigarettes.

Jump to full article »