Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
399. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if the authorities have observed the presence of illegal tobacco manufacturing facilities on this island; if so, the measures in place to tackle such criminality and to protect State revenues and public health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40517/21]
View answer400. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Finance if the significant increase in the amount of illicit roll-your-own tobacco seized at Irish airports in 2020 indicates a greater focus by criminal gangs on this category of tobacco in particular; if so, the measures that will be implemented to tackle this criminality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40518/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 399 and 400 together.
I am advised that Revenue uses a range of measures to identify and target the smuggling, supply or sale of illicit tobacco products, with a view to disrupting the supply chain, seizing the products and where possible, prosecuting those involved. Revenue’s strategy involves developing and sharing intelligence on a national, EU and international basis, the use of analytics and detection technologies and ensuring the optimum deployment of resources on a risk-focused basis.
I am aware that Revenue monitors trends in the illicit tobacco trade on an ongoing basis and adjusts its actions and redeploys its resources to counter any new developments or methodologies employed by the criminal gangs involved in that trade. The smuggling of tobacco products has a transnational and cross border dimension and in addition to Revenue’s ongoing cooperation with An Garda Síochána in this area, I am advised that Revenue also works closely with its counterparts in other jurisdictions including colleagues in Northern Ireland through the Cross Border Joint Agency Task Force (JATF), and international bodies including OLAF (the EU’s anti-fraud agency), Europol and the World Customs Organisation.
I am advised by Revenue that it is conducting ongoing joint investigations with HMRC targeting the illicit production of tobacco products. Since March 2018, four illicit cigarette manufacturing facilities have been discovered and dismantled on the island of Ireland as result of cross border investigations by the Cross-Border Joint Agency Task Force (JATF). These successful outcomes include the discovery of an illicit cigarette manufacturing facility in Co. Armagh in July this year as a result of a joint investigation by Revenue and HMRC.
Revenue seized more than 7,000 tonnes of illicit tobacco in 2020 and a further 7,000 tonnes of illicit tobacco in the first six months of 2021. The majority of these seizures occurred at Dublin Port. I am advised that the increase in detection and seizure of illicit tobacco is as a result of continued cooperation and intelligence sharing with other national and international law enforcement agencies and Revenue’s advanced profiling methods and strategic use of appropriate detection technology.
I commend Revenue and all the relevant State agencies for their work in this important area and I am satisfied that there is an appropriate focus on tackling this form of criminality.
