SMOKE MACHINE
Illegal factory that churns out 250,000 cigs... EVERY HOUR
REVENUE chiefs busted a huge cigarette factory churning out 250,000 counterfeit fags an hour.
Eleven Eastern European men were arrested in the joint Revenue and Garda blitz in Co Louth while the operation was in full production.
More than 40 tonnes of tobacco and 25 million “Mayfair” branded cigarettes were seized.
Had they made it on to the black market, the State stood to lose €12million in tax.
Yesterday’s raid took place just before 8am in Jenkinstown, Co Louth.
It is the first time a commercial illicit cigarette production plant has been discovered in Ireland.
Officers also seized all the components for manufacturing the product during the raid.
Eleven men – all from Eastern Europe and aged in their late 20s to late 50s – were arrested. They are being held in
Dundalk Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
A Revenue spokesman said: “This was a sophisticated self-contained operation with machinery capable of producing 250,000 illicit cigarettes per hour and pre-processing, processing and packaging facilities, along with living quarters.
“Illicit cigarettes that originated in this factory have previously been seized in both Ireland and the UK.
“If the finished cigarettes seized at the factory had reached the Irish market, the estimated loss to the Exchequer would have been approximately €12million.
“Investigations are ongoing, nationally and internationally.”
Anyone with information about the illicit trade in cigarettes or other items can call the Revenue’s confidential freephone number on 1800 295 295.
Cigarettes from this factory have been seized in the UK and Ireland REVENUE SPOKESMAN ON CO LOUTH PLANT