This article is from page 24 of the 2009-06-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 24 JPG
CLARE accounted for six per cent of the fines and penalties imposed for cigarette smuggling and the illegal sale of tobacco, according to figures released by the Revenue Commis- sioners. The figures, published as part of the Revenue Commissioners de- faulter’s list, show that the market in illegal tobacco is spread right across
Ireland. Fines and court penalties were imposed in 1] counties, with Dublin having the highest number of fines and penalties imposed with 43 per cent of convictions secured. Louth, with 11 per cent of penalties imposed, also showed a high involve- ment in the lucrative trade in illegal tobacco.
Kerry was third highest county where penalties were imposed with
8.5 per cent of the national figure. Clare, Wexford, Limerick and Gal- way each had six per cent of the total number of penalties imposed, while Kilkenny, Cavan, Waterford and Kil- dare were on three per cent.
While the figures showed the geo- graphic spread of the market, which is estimated to cost the exchequer €500m every year in lost revenue, it also showed that that the average
fine for cigarette smuggling and the selling of illegal cigarettes was just oOo
A spokesperson for the Irish Tobac- co Manufactures Advisory Commit- tee (ITMAC) stated, “These figures reflect both the widespread growth in the profitable trade of illegal tobacco and the urgent need for increased penalties to act as a deterrent to en- sure this illicit trade is stopped.
‘Because Ireland has the most ex- pensive cigarette price in Europe, we are an attractive destination for smug- glers. This evidence highlights that with continued insufficient penalties, Ireland will remain a smuggler’s par- adise. ITMAC will continue to work together with all stakeholders to find solutions to combat this growth in the illegal trade of cigarettes,” the spokesman said.