Revenue officers have confiscated contraband worth over €1 million during a series of intelligence-led operations across Dublin, the Midlands, Kilkenny, Dublin Airport and Rosslare Europort over the past week.
The seizures, which commenced on 14 July 2025, netted contraband with an estimated total value of €1,075,120. The operations targeted smuggling and shadow economy activity through risk profiling and intelligence gathering.
The largest single seizure occurred at Dublin Airport on Sunday, 20 July, when officers discovered 37.16kg of herbal cannabis concealed in vacuum-packed packages within a passenger’s baggage. The passenger had disembarked from a flight originating from Thailand. The cannabis carries an estimated value of approximately €743,200.
A man in his 40s was subsequently arrested by An Garda Síochána in connection with the seizure. He remains detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 at a Dublin Garda station whilst investigations continue.
The week’s operations yielded a diverse range of contraband items. Officers seized a total of 42.96kg of herbal cannabis valued at €860,260, alongside various other illicit drugs worth almost €4,800. These included butane honey oil, cannabis resin, assorted tablets containing Alprazolam, Benzodiazepine, Diazepam and Zopiclone, amphetamine, cannabis oil, edibles, LSD, magic mushrooms, synthetic cannabinoids and cannabis tea.
Detector dog Enzo assisted officers in examining parcels at premises in Dublin and the Midlands, as well as at Rosslare Europort. The intercepted parcels originated from the USA, Thailand, Italy, Canada and the UK, destined for addresses across Ireland, including locations throughout Munster.
Officers also confiscated over 398 litres of alcohol, including wine, beer and spirits, with an estimated value exceeding €6,160. This represents a potential loss to the Exchequer of €1,660. Tobacco products seized included cigarettes branded Neo Classic, Manchester, Rothmans, Marlboro Gold and Mayfair, along with Golden Virginia and Amber Leaf tobacco, valued at over €12,700 and representing a potential exchequer loss of over €9,790.
The operations netted 345 counterfeit items valued at over €191,200, confirmed by rights holders to have infringed intellectual property rights. The fake goods bore prestigious brand names including Adidas, Nike, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Versace, Apple, and numerous other luxury and sports brands.
Revenue continues its ongoing campaign against smuggling operations. The authority encourages businesses and members of the public with information regarding smuggling activities to contact them confidentially on 1800 295 295.
Investigations into all seizures remain ongoing across multiple jurisdictions.