Illegal bottling operation found in Ireland
Police in Ireland have launched an investigation following the discovery of an illegal alcohol and cigarette factory in County Louth.
Alcohol and cigarettes had been illegally manufactured at the siteAs a result of a joint intelligence-led operation by the Cross Border Joint Action Task Force, the Dundalk Gardaí carried out the search of a warehouse at Knockbridge early on Saturday 30 March.
Officers uncovered a manufacturing operation that had the capability of producing cigarettes and alcohol with an estimated loss of €25 million (US$28.1m) to the exchequer.
No arrests were made during the search and investigations are ongoing.
The Northern Regional Armed Support Unit and officers from the Department of Revenue assisted Gardaí in the search and seizure.
Counterfeit operations remain a prevalent problem in the spirits industry. For an in-depth look at how stakeholders are tackling the issue, see our recent feature, here.
