Irish Tax and Customs officers have seized a substantial quantity of illicit red wine, valued at nearly €60,000, during an operation at a modern seaport in Ireland. The interception was a result of risk profiling conducted by Irish Tax and Customs, leading to the confiscation of approximately 4,860 liters of wine.
Discovered within an accompanied trailer that had arrived on a ferry from Cherbourg, France, the contraband wine, branded as ‘Doppio Passo Primitivo Rosso 2022’, poses a potential loss to the Exchequer exceeding €31,700.
Following the seizure, authorities questioned the driver associated with the shipment, according to statements released by Irish Tax and Customs.
This incident is part of a broader effort to combat counterfeit goods, with recent years witnessing a series of seizures across Europe. In 2021 alone, authorities seized an estimated 1.7 million liters of counterfeit alcoholic beverages, including wine, beer, vodka, and other spirits. Wine and vodka emerged as the most commonly confiscated alcohol during this period, according to Europol.
Furthermore, Irish customs officers intercepted 24,750 liters of counterfeit wine valued at nearly €302,000 at the port of Cork in the same year, underscoring the ongoing efforts to combat illicit trade.
In a separate incident, Scottish authorities collaborated with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to seize over 75,000 liters of illegal beer at a Scottish port. The operation, conducted in partnership with Police Scotland, targeted the P&O ferry terminal connecting with Larne in Northern Ireland. The intercepted beer, equivalent to approximately 132,000 pints, is believed to have originated from the Republic of Ireland and was transported through Northern Ireland into Scotland via HGV transporters.
HMRC, in conjunction with Police Scotland, led the operation as part of the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce, signaling a coordinated effort to tackle illicit trade activities.
