163 seizures of alcohol to end of August

Customs have made 163 seizures of alcohol worth €202,831 to the end of August this year compared with a total figure for last year of €547,231 for the whole of 2011 through 365 seizures or one per day, according to figures supplied to Drinks Industry Ireland from the Revenue Commissioners.

Around 43 per cent of the seizures appear to have been detected by customs officers at airports and ports, so these were of goods presumably for personal consumption, according to a Revenue Commissioners spokesman who added that the figures would also comprise some element of postal seizures, again presumably for personal use.

“Some of the seizures would also relate to foreign nationals “importing” product from the homeland – probably for personal consumption,” she stated before concluding, “Officers routinely carry out checks (as opposed to raids) on licensed premises to examine their stock. Any illegal spirits detected are seized.”

78.5 litres of counterfeit vodka were seized between 1st January and 31st August 2012 none of which appeared to be from licensed premises, she stated, adding, “All appear to be from individuals trying to sell from private addresses”.

The 2012 haul seized so far includes 3,312 litres of beer worth nearly €19,000 via four seizures, 923 litres of spirits worth just over €33,000 through 106 seizures and 11,831 litres of wine worth nearly €151,000 through 53 seizures.