Nine men are in custody following the seizure of 120 million illegal cigarettes worth an estimated €50 million in Co Louth.
The smuggled cigarettes, which represent a loss of approximately €40 million to the Exchequer, were seized in Greenore Port in Co Louth as part of the multi-agency operation, codenamed Samhna.
Revenue officials said the find is “potentially” the largest of illegal cigarettes ever made in Ireland.
The operation, targeting the activities of an organised crime group operating both north and south of the border, involved surveillance of the cargo vessel MV Anne Scan, which arrived yesterday in Greenore from the Philippines carrying a cargo declared as "animal feed".
Revenue placed the vessel under surveillance as they suspected that a consignment of contraband cigarettes was concealed within the cargo.
A number of premises were searched in Co Louth this morning after some cargo was unloaded from the ship onto waiting trucks. The vessel itself was also searched. The cigarettes were hidden in bags among the animal feed.
Gardaí confirmed this evening that nine men were arrested during the operation.
Seven Irish nationals aged between 19 and mid 40s were arrested, as were one Lithuanian man in his 50s, and a Ukrainian man in his 40s.
They are all being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at Garda stations in Cos Louth and Monaghan.
Over 150 officers from a number of agencies, including the Revenue's Customs Service, the Garda, the Criminal Assets Bureau, the Irish Naval Service and Air Corps, the PSNI and HM Revenue & Customs took part the operation.
The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) was also involved and will form part of the follow-up investigation.
Vessels supporting the operation included Revenue's RCC Faireand the Navy vessel LE Niamh.
Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy praised the "significant strike" against organised crime. "The success of the operation illustrates the results and benefits that flow from close inter-agency cooperation,” he said.
“Criminals have no respect for national borders and international cooperation is now more essential than ever for law enforcement agencies,” Revenue Commissioner Liam Irwin said.
“This is a shining example of a multinational, multi-agency response to criminal activity and all the agencies involved should be commended for the part they played in this successful operation,” he added.
HMRC’s John Whiting said the smuggling attempt was organised crime on a global scale.
“The gangs behind this form of criminality are motivated solely by greed and personal gain,” said Mr Whiting.
“Their lavish lifestyles cost the UK taxpayer alone around £3 billion per year in unpaid duty, and smuggling of this magnitude could devastate our local economies. Today’s operation shows that those who think they can exploit international borders for criminal purposes and to escape justice are wrong.”
Fine Gael's justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan said the seizure showed that criminal gangs could be defeated if the resources were in place. “The Government must prioritise the war on cigarette smuggling and I am calling on Minister Ahern to provide the resources the Gardaí need to deliver further success stories like today’s seizure in Co Louth,” he said.
The Irish Tobacco Manufacturers’ Advisory Committee (ITMAC) welcomed the seizure, saying the evasion of duty on cigaretters has cost the Exechequer €526 million so far this year and was leading to jobs being cut in the legitimate retail sector. "This is an unacceptable loss of Government revenue during recessionary times," it said in a statement.