The sale of illegal cigarettes is ‘the new cocaine’ trade in Ireland.
That’s the conclusion of a new report that’s been submitted to a committee investigating cross-Border smuggling.
It warns that laws in the area aren’t being enforced rigorously enough, and almost 1 in 4 cigarettes smoked here have been smuggled in.
Benny Gilsenan from Retailers Against Smuggling agrees that criminals aren’t being put off by the consequences of getting caught:
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