Children (12) used in illegal cigarette trade
DROGHEDA MARKET ONE OF THE WORST OFFENDERS
A local garda patrols Drogheda market last Saturday, described as one of the worst offenders in the country for the sale of illegal cigarettes.
Wednesday September 01 2010
CHILDREN as young as 12 are being used as 'runners' in the illegal cigarette trade at Drogheda market, it has been revealed.
The market in Drogheda is one of the worst offenders in the country for the sale of illegal cigarettes according to the Irish Tobacco Manufacturers Advisory Committee (ITMAC), which has carried out investigations across a number of Irish markets in relation to this issue.
The news comes as customs seized more than €3m worth of cigarettes from a lorry stopped on the M1 near Drogheda last Friday.
The contraband cigarettes were hidden inside a consignment of tyres which had arrived by ship into Cork Port from the United Arab Emirates earlier this week. One person has been questioned in relation to the haul.
ITMAC investigations have found the problem of illegal selling of cigarettes is particularly prominent at Drogheda market.
According to ITMAC, crime gangs across the country are making €3 million a week from selling smuggled cigarettes.
'This is a huge problem nationally and last year it took over € 500 million from the Irish exchequer and is on course to exceed this amount in 2010,' said a spokesperson for the organisation.
The survey by ITMAC revealed substantial evidence of the regular sale of illegal tobacco at Drogheda market by several gangs and, most disturbingly, this included the involvement of minors.
During the summer, a group of up to five men were seen selling cigarettes, CDs and DVDs from a market stall alongside two boys aged 12 and 14.
The boys were used as runners in the transactions; they were given cash after each sale and brought the money to van some distance away when it accumulates. A number of women were also seen openly selling cigarettes from shopping bags.
In July, gardaí raided the market and seized goods including cigarettes, DVDs and CDs to the value of € 280,000. Superintendent Gerry Smith said gardaí patrol the market in Drogheda almost every Saturday morning and a number of seizures have been carried out as a result.
' We know what is going on and we police it every Saturday morning as best we can and we have had significant seizures,' said Superintendent Smith.
'We patrol the market not alone for cigarettes but also for the sale of contraband DVDs and CDs and we also monitor that part of town via CCTV.'
- Fiona MAGENNIS
