Eleven men have appeared before Drogheda District Court charged in relation to an illegal cigarette factory uncovered in Co Louth on Thursday.
The court was told by Garda Inspector Martin Beggy that there were 25 million cigarettes recovered, with an estimated value of €57 million, which reflected a loss to the exchequer of €45 million.
All face the same two charges contrary to section 78A (1) (a) of the Finance Act 2005 relating to processing an illicit tobacco product on the March 15th 2018 at Killen, Jenkinstown, Dundalk.
The accused Vytautas Pelenis (33), Mindaugas Pelenis (35), Evaldas Simonelis (48), Giederius Palciauskas (28), Rumuras Butkevicius (41), Javaras Kairys (34), Tomas Jarutis (27) and Vytautas Sakinis (27) are from Lithuania and Petar Petrov (46), Yordan Shopski (51), Boti Panicharsti (62) are from Bulgaria.
In all cases, Insp Beggy said the DPP was directing trial on indictment in the higher, circuit court and remands in custody were being sought.
Barrister Irene Sands represented seven of the 11 accused. None of the seven made applications for bail and all were remanded in custody by consent to appear at Cloverhill District Court on the 22nd March.
Solicitor Barry Callan represented two of the accused who did not make any bail application.
Solicitor Roisin Courtney applied for bail for two of the accused. In relation to Mr Sakinis she said his mother has lived in Naas, Co Kildare for 11 years.
Gardaí objected to bail on a number of grounds including that he was a flight risk, was a Lithuanian national, had no ties to this jurisdiction and it was feared he would not turn up for his trial.
Judge John Coughlan refused bail to him and also to Mr Jarutis and all accused were remanded in custody.