Madam, – The Garda and Customs and Excise officers must be applauded for seizing the enormous haul of contraband cigarettes, so saving the exchequer millions of euro (Front page, October 28th). This must have been an elaborate and difficult operation – a lot more difficult than seizing the illegal fireworks, which yearly flood the State at this season and are a major fire hazard, a serious danger to children and a cause of untold misery and terror to our animals; a task that seems beyond their abilities. – Yours, etc,