Customs officials and gardaí last night seized cigarettes in Co Meath with an estimated street value of over €3 million.
Between eight million and ten-and-a-half million cigarettes were seized in the Ashbourne area after they had earlier come through Dublin Port. It is believed they came from Malaysia.
Retailers Against Smuggling, the representative group for Ireland’s tobacco retailers, praised the Customs service but said more needed to be done.
Spokesman Benny Gilsenan said: "All we are getting are empty promises and a failure to act by the Government. National and international criminals are, on weekly basis, taking advantage of our failure to punish smugglers.
"Cigarette smuggling is perceived as being a victimless crime but it is having a detrimental affect on the Irish retailer. We need greater collusion between all stakeholders, this is the only way we can tackle the issue effectively," he said.
“As a group, we the Irish retailer lost almost €700 million for 2009 in tobacco sales despite all the increased number of seizures last year. Until the Government start to hand out appropriate sentences then Ireland is going to continue to be a target for the illegal cigarette trade. Customs are doing a fantastic job but more needs to be done by Government. The legitimate Irish retailer cannot cope with the situation at present," Mr Gilsenan said.
Retailers Against Smuggling recently claimed cigarette sales in shops have fallen 40 per cent in a year after in-store tobacco ads were banned. Mr Gilsenan said the year-old order had normalised criminal trade in contraband tobacco.
The Irish Cancer Society (ICS) also congratulated gardaí and Customs service on the haul.
Kathleen O’Meara of the ICS said: “The DPP has said that one in four cigarettes smoked in Ireland is illegal and non-duty paid. The size of these hauls in 2010 continues to prove that Ireland is seen as a significant target and easily accessible black market by organised crime, trading in very sophisticated contraband and counterfeit cigarettes.
“Tobacco smuggling is undermining the excellent tobacco control initiatives undertaken by Government in recent years and is most significantly undermining efforts by the Government to protect young people from the dangers of smoking and organised crime."
Last May, more than 10 million cigarettes worth almost €5 million were seized at Dublin Port.