Customs officers have seized approximately 8m counterfeit cigarettes with a value of €3.2m at a commercial premises in Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary.
The Benson & Hedges brand cigarettes arrived into Dublin Port from China on Friday 20 March in a 40 foot Lo/Lo maritime container, which were declared on the manifest as containing furniture.
In an operation codenamed 'Operation Maigret', Customs officers kept the container under surveillance as part of the operation which culminated today when the cigarettes were observed being offloaded at the warehouse.
Customs officers, with the assistance of the Gardaí from Clonmel and Waterford, raided the commercial premises this afternoon.
In addition, two private residences were searched under warrant.
Four men, aged between 45 and 65, from the Waterford area were arrested are currently being questioned at Clonmel and Cahir Garda stations.
