Three arrests after eight million cigarettes seized
- Published
Officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) attended a property in Newry on Saturday morning along with colleagues from the PSNI
Three men have been arrested and eight million suspected illicit cigarettes seized during an operation in County Armagh.
Officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) attended a property in Newry on Saturday morning along with colleagues from the PSNI.
The arrests and seizures were made at the scene.
HMRC said the tobacco products are worth an estimated £3m in lost taxes and duties.
The arrested men are aged 34, 37 and 55 years old.
A heavy goods vehicle and its refrigerated unit, a van and a fork lift truck were also seized along with approximately £12,000 and €2,000.
HMRC said the operation led to a further seven searches - 1 business property and six residential addresses - across the border in Carlingford, County Louth, carried out by Ireland's Revenue Commissioners and An Garda Síochána.
Almost €100,000, thousands of duty stamps and approximately two and a half tonnes of hand rolling tobacco was confiscated.
One articulated lorry, one rigid lorry, two trailers and one van were also seized. along with mobile fuel-laundering machinery which was concealed in a lorry.
Three men were arrested and eight million suspected illicit cigarettes seized during the operation
Steve Tracey, HMRC's assistant director, Fraud Investigation Service, said investigations like this show "what can be achieved by our ongoing cross-jurisdictional cooperation to tackle criminality".
"Our collaboration, even during a global pandemic, demonstrates that we are committed to working with each other, at every level and in every location to tackle organised crime on a cross border basis."
PSNI Det Supt Rowan Moore said those trading in illicit cigarettes "may be funding terrorism and criminality".
"[This] brings misery and harm to local communities and today's action sends a powerful message to those engaged in this type of criminality."