Revenue officers have seized over 1kg of cocaine and various other illicit drugs at Shannon Airport and the midlands.
The drugs were detected inside parcels which had originated in the USA, UK, Canada, Thailand, Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands, destined for addresses across the country.
In total last week, following operations at Shannon Airport, Dublin Airport, Rosslare Europort and the Midlands, revenue officers recovered over €2.5m worth of contraband.
The haul included 9,791 items of counterfeit goods, with an estimated value of €1,981,615;
approximately 17.5 kg of herbal cannabis, with an estimated value of almost €350,000;
approximately 2.3 kg of cocaine, with an estimated value of €162,400; various other illicit drugs, with an estimated value of €4,500; and 1,320 litres of alcohol, with an estimated retail value of €15,640, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of €8,414.
The counterfeit goods were seized as they were confirmed by the Rights Holder to have infringed on Intellectual Property Rights. The detections included a commercial quantity of counterfeit Nike-branded runners, consisting of 9,156 pairs of trainers in 35 different designs, with an estimated value of €1,693,860. This seizure was made as a result of risk profiling when Revenue officers stopped and searched a freight shipment which arrived into Dublin Port, having originated in China.
The herbal cannabis, together with 1 kg of cocaine and the various other illicit drugs, were seized as a result of risk profiling, and with the assistance of detector dogs Sam, Grace and Ciara.
The remaining 1.3 kg of cocaine, with an estimated value of €92,400, was seized as a result of an intelligence led operation, when Revenue officers stopped and searched a passenger who arrived into Dublin Airport, having disembarked a flight from France. A man in his 30’s was arrested by An Garda Síochána as a result of this operation and has since appeared before the Courts.
Investigations into all seizures are ongoing.
