Gardaí seized 13,500 counterfeit cigarettes, 9.75kg of tobacco and €3,855 in cash in Drogheda yesterday, Monday July 19, 2021 following three separate searches in the town.
The operation involved uniform members of the Garda Drogheda Community Action Team (D-CAT) who were assisted by members of the Revenue’s Customs Service and related to the sale of counterfeit cigarettes in Drogheda.
D-CAT is a Garda Unit consisting of a Sergeant and six uniformed Gardaí which was established in June 2021. It has a focus on disrupting and preventing antisocial behaviour, which has the potential to escalate in the Drogheda area.
In the course of the Operation Gardaí and Customs Officers carried out searches at a retail premises, and two residential properties.
During these searches a total of 13,500 cigarettes, 9.75kg of tobacco, which are believed to be counterfeit, and €3,855 in cash were seized by Revenue and An Garda Síochána.
The counterfeit tobacco products represented a total loss to the exchequer of approximately €12,000.
Two men in their 30s were arrested in connection with this seizure and have since been released without charge. A file is now being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
During this operation a 2016 Jaguar F-Pace jeep was also seized in connection with suspected money laundering offences.
Investigations are ongoing in relation to this matter.
