Ireland seizes 3.7 tonnes of Romanian meat

The department revealed that the meat products did not follow EU food safety rules and had the potential to impact public and animal health.

The meat was discovered when inspectors searched a foreign-registered truck, which had begun its journey in Romania and arrived into Dublin from Holyhead, Wales.

Also found in the truck was 960 litres of alcohol and 11,640 cigarettes, branded 'Marlboro', 'Kent' and 'Pall Mall', with a retail value of €19,100.

The seizure is part of the country’s ongoing operations to target illegal imports over the past week. At the beginning of last week, Ireland’s border controls seized 1,235 litres of beer, 14 litres of spirits, 80 litres of wine and 600 smuggled cigarettes, branded ‘Chesterfield’ and ‘Winston’, with a retail value of €5,700 and a potential loss to the Exchequer of €3,000.

The goods were discovered when officers conducted examinations of six vehicles that had arrived in Dublin from Poland, Lithuania and France.

Ireland’s agriculture department has urged any businesses or members of the public to contact customs, excise and taxation agency Revenue under strict confidence if they become aware of illegal smuggling of goods.