Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 February 2017
108. Deputy Declan Breathnach asked the Minister for Finance the reason the number of seizures of illicit cigarettes and tobacco has dropped 16% from 7,154 seizures in 2015 to 6,024 in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6147/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am assured by Revenue that action against illegal activity involving tobacco products is a central element of their work and that significant successes continue to be made in tackling this illegal trade. They have advised me that, in 2016, 6,100[1] tobacco seizures were made which resulted in approximately 44.5m cigarettes and 1,500kgs of tobacco being seized by Revenue. The quantities of cigarettes and other tobacco products seized and data on the number of tobacco seizures made by Revenue in the years 2012 to 2016 are shown in the table.
|
Year |
Quantity of seized cigarettes |
Quantity of other tobacco KGs |
Number of Tobacco seizures |
|
2012 |
95,604,730 |
5,277 |
9,503 |
|
2013 |
40,844,800 |
4,203 |
6,888 |
|
2014 |
53,445,350 |
9,824 |
6,866 |
|
2015 |
67,917,500 |
2,364 |
7,154 |
|
2016 |
44,563,810 |
1,526 |
6,100 |
The table demonstrates that while Revenue continues to prioritise enforcement action in this area and has maintained the level of resources allocated to this activity, the volumes seized and the number of seizures can vary significantly. This occurs because smugglers are constantly looking for new ways to avoid detection, and adapt their operations in response to seizures by Revenue and other law enforcement agencies internationally. Seizure statistics are also very variable because of the effect of individual very large seizures on annual data. Revenue continually reviews the ways in which it acts against this illegal activity, to ensure detection and seizure of illegal cigarettes and to carefully monitor trends and patterns in the illicit trade so that the response can be adjusted accordingly.
Revenue advise me that the same factors that impact seizure quantities also affect the number of seizures and that there has been no reduction in the level of checking undertaken at ports and airports. There has been a reduction in the number of detections made at Irish airports in 2016, but this mirrors a similar pattern experienced in a number of other airports in other jurisdictions including the United Kingdom and reflects a shift in the pattern of tobacco smuggling of the kind referred to above as smugglers react to high levels of seizures in airports in particular.
In terms of assessing the overall performance in tackling illegal tobacco, a reliable measure is the IPSOS/MRBI surveys of illicit tobacco conducted for Revenue and the National Tobacco Control Office. The surveys indicate that in 2015 12% of cigarette consumption was illicit, up from 11% in 2014 but down on 2011 and 2012 levels, of 15% and 13% respectively.
[1] Headline figures published in January 2017 noted 6,024 seizures in 2016. This information was provided before year end and has since been revised to reflect the total number of seizures for 2016.
