Revenue officers seized approximately 8.2 million cigarettes at Dublin Port on 22 May 2026, with an estimated retail value of over €7.7 million. The seizure was made following routine risk profiling, with the assistance of detector dog Kobe and the use of a mobile scanner.
The cigarettes were discovered in a container that had arrived from an undisclosed location. The seizure represents a significant loss for the criminal network involved, as the cigarettes would have been sold on the black market, avoiding Irish excise duty and taxes.
Detector dog Kobe, a trained sniffer dog, played a key role in locating the contraband. Revenue officials have emphasized the importance of such operations in disrupting illegal tobacco trade, which funds organized crime.
No arrests have been reported in connection with this seizure. Investigations are ongoing.
