Cross-Border operation sees illegal tobacco worth €2.8m seized in Co Louth searches

Three men have been arrested and illegal tobacco worth millions of euro seized during a series of co-ordinated raids in the Republic and Northern Ireland as part of a joint Garda and PSNI operation.
In Newry, Co Armagh, three men aged 34, 37 and 55-years-of-age were arrested on Saturday and after an estimated 8 million illegal cigarettes were seized.
Some of the tobacco that was seized by gardaí during searches in Carlingford, Co Lough. Photograph: An Garda
The illegal cigarettes represented an estimated £3m in lost tax revenue.
A lorry and its refrigerated unit, a van and a fork lift were also seized along with approximately £12,000 and 2,000 in cash.
Officers from An Garda and the Revenue Commissioners assisted members of the PSNI and HM Revenue and Customs during the operation.
Seven searches were also carried out in the Carlingford area of Co Louth by gardaí and Revenue officials as part of the operation.
Some of the cash seized by gardaí during raids in Carlingford, Co Louth. Photograph: An Garda
Vehicles, 100,000 in cash and 2.5 tonnes of raw tobacco were seized during these searches.
The raw tobacco has an estimated value of 1.55 million and represented with a potential loss of 1.24 million to the Exchequer.
The officers also seized 1.900kg of hand-rolling tobacco packaged for sale with a value of 1.2 million. Gardaí said this represents a potential loss to the Exchequer of almost 947,500.
Equipment for the manufacture of tobacco products and mobile fuel-laundering machinery hidden in an articulated lorry was also seized.