Revenue officers have made drug seizures during the month of August 2024 alone amounting to almost €45 million in value.
This included a number of notable seizures, such as the seizure of €10.5 million worth of cocaine at Dublin Port, and €7.2 million worth of cocaine and €16 million worth of cannabis products at Rosslare Europort, over the course of a number of days in August.
During recent days, Revenue officers in Dublin Airport say they have carried out several intelligence led operations leading to the discovery of over €3 million worth of cocaine and herbal cannabis.
The detections included:
Officers say the seizures were made “when Revenue offices stopped and searched a number of passengers who had disembarked separate flights originating from Brazil and Thailand, together with their luggage.”
“Nine individuals have been arrested by An Garda Síochána, who are conducting follow up investigations.” they said.
Revenue says that identifying, targeting and disrupting the illegal drug trade “is a key priority for Revenue, and our enforcement teams operate at all main ports, airports and mail centres, as well as freight forwarding premises.”
Revenue deploys a risk-based approach in its detection and intervention strategy, and collaborates with a range of national and international law enforcement partners in doing so.
“Our enforcement teams also have a variety of resources, such as Detector Dog teams and x-ray scanners, to assist them in their work.” it said.
Revenue says that individuals involved in trading illicit goods and products “are using increasingly inventive and complex smuggling methods and concealment techniques, and we are agile in our response to this threat, ensuring that we deploy our assets and capabilities in the most effective way to detect, prevent and intercept illicit and prohibited goods and products.”
They say their work against drug crime “is extensive and multi-faceted, and our enforcement teams achieved exceptional results in this area during 2023, seizing drugs to the record breaking value of €302 million. This includes the €157 million worth of cocaine detected onboard the MV Matthew in September 2023.”
“Building on these results”, Revenue says that their specialist teams “have seized drugs to the value of almost €170 million this year (as at the end of August 2024). This is more than double the value of drugs seized in the same period during 2023, which totalled almost €75 million.”
“Total drug seizures by Revenue officers during the month of August 2024 alone amount to almost €45 million. This includes a number of notable seizures, such as the seizure of €10.5 million worth of cocaine at Dublin Port, and €7.2 million worth of cocaine and €16 million worth of cannabis products at Rosslare Europort, over the course of a number of days in August.” it said.