The captain of a ship carrying 70 million smuggled cigarettes seized by customs in Dundalk port last December was yesterday jailed for two years at Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court.
Judge Raymond Groarke heard that Terence Ivor Wall (51), from Butestown, Cardiff, Wales, as master of the MV Anto, had signed a declaration in Gibraltar stating it was in ballast (without cargo).
The bill of loading found on board the vessel when it was seized on December 11th last year stated it was carrying soft quilts and destined for Glasgow port.
In fact the vessel was en route from the United Arab Emirates to Dundalk via Gibraltar. Wall pleaded guilty to attempting to evade customs duties due on the cigarettes. The haul was estimated to be worth €15.96 m and represented a potential loss to the Exchequer of more than €13 million in taxes and duties.
Mr Michael Hannon of the Customs and Excise investigation bureau said a number of people, some of whom flew into Dublin before the vessel berthed in Dundalk, had started to discharge the cargo of cigarettes at 4 a.m. on the day in question, and agreed Wall had been a facilitator in the operation.
The court was told Wall was a minor figure in the enterprise, was a vulnerable man out of his depth and was used by more sinister players because he could be discarded.
Judge Groarke said Wall had facilitated the carriage of the cigarettes into Ireland and then attempt to remove them from the ship into this country. He presumed he got involved because he was paid and greed had been his motivation. He accepted Wall was not the organiser, planner or financial planner of the scheme.
He imposed a two-year sentence and, in relation to Robert Tibbs, Chatham, London, who was jailed last week for 3½ years on a similar charge, Judge Groarke said he was now suspending the final six months of the sentence.