Revenue to get new detection equipment

Revenue's Customs and Excise Service is to acquire a new patrol vessel and an X-ray container scanner as part of its fight against crime gangs importing drugs and contraband into the Republic. Conor Lally , Crime Correspondent, reports.

The move comes after record Revenue drugs and cigarette seizures last year valued at some €163 million.

The decision to purchase the equipment was announced yesterday by Minister for Finance Brian Cowen at the launch in Dublin of Revenue's strategy statement for the next three years.

"Both of these investments are tangible examples of commitment of Revenue's Customs Service and this Government to tackling the drugs problem which is causing enormous hardship and pain to people in our communities," Mr Cowen said.

The new cutter vessel will cost €2.3 million, while the X-ray scanner for freight containers will cost up to €4 million. Revenue currently has one of each at its disposal.

The X-ray scanner is used to scan containers unloaded from vessels at freight ports before they are collected by lorries for distribution around the country.

Increasingly, large consignments of drugs and contraband cigarettes are entering the State concealed in consignments of legal goods. In recent seizures drugs were found hidden in the engine parts of lorries, in granite lecture stands and office furniture.

The availability heretofore of just one scanner resulted in it being moved between different ports to carry out random checks.

Gardaí believe well-organised crime gangs have simply waited for the scanner to move from a particular port before they contacted their couriers overseas directing them to transport drugs through that port.

Similarly, the availability of just one cutter for the Republic's entire coastline led to accusations of a lax searching regime.

Last year the cutter vessel was used in the operation that recovered cocaine valued at €105 million from the waters of Dunlough Bay, Co Cork. That haul was among more than 2,700 Revenue drugs seizures in 2007 valued at €139 million.

The value of drugs seizures to date this year has reached just over €4 million.

The X-ray scanner helped detect a number of multimillion euro contraband cigarette hauls. The total value of cigarettes seized last year was €24 million.

Revenue intends to increase by 50 per cent the number of cigarette seizures this year. It is also planning targeted investigations against those distributing contraband cigarettes within the State.

Many gangs are sourcing cheap cigarettes from eastern Europe and using couriers to bring them through Dublin airport hidden in holdall bags.

Revenue chairman Frank Daly said that as well as the anti-smuggling operations, a key element of Revenue's strategy up to 2010 would be prosecutions for tax evasion.

Mr Cowen said the economic conditions facing the Republic would bring challenges for Revenue's collection functions. Mr Daly said revenue collection was always Revenue's "bottom line".

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times