Revenue officers in Dublin and Cork intercepted the import of cannabis and cigarettes to Ireland worth a total of €705,000 at the weekend.
Revenue stated on Tuesday that the seizures are "part of Revenue’s ongoing operations targeting smuggling, shadow economy activity and the supply of illegal tobacco products".
The largest seizure took place in Dublin Airport on Sunday July 9 when Revenue officers stopped a passenger after conducting a risk profile.
Read More: Two Americans arrested after €600k of drugs found in suitcases at Dublin Airport
The passenger, a man in his late teens, had arrived into Dublin directly from Los Angeles and was found to be in possession of 32.5kgs of herbal cannabis with an estimated value of €650,000.
The drugs were discovered concealed within vacuum-packed packages of the passenger’s luggage.
"A man in his late teens was arrested by An Garda Síochána and detained overnight under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at a North Dublin Garda Station," the statement read.
The man appeared this morning in the Criminal Court of Justice.
Also on Sunday, 22,400 cigarettes were seized by Revenue officers from a cargo vessel at the Port of Waterford.
"A Liberian-registered vessel had arrived into Ireland from Greece. The cigarettes, branded ‘Winston Blue’ and ‘Asos’, have an estimated value of almost €18,000, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of €13,850," Revenue said.
A separate occurrence of contraband importing to the island from abroad took place on Saturday 8 July when a Maltese-registered tanker in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork, was searched by Revenue officers as a result of risk profiling.
A total of 48,200 cigarettes were discovered on the vessel which arrived from Belfast.
"The cigarettes, branded ‘L&M’, ‘Fast’, ‘Winston’ and ‘Asos’ have an estimated value of over €38,000, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of almost €30,000.
"Investigations into both cigarette seizures are ongoing."
The statement by Revenue urges anybody with knowledge of smuggling activity into Ireland from overseas to alert the authorities.
"If businesses, or members of the public, have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on phone number 1800 295 295."
