A judge told customs officers to tighten up procedures yesterday as she dismissed a number of prosecutions for illegal cigarette selling. Judge Thelma King dismissed a summons against Ms Marie O'Connor of Barn Lodge, Cappagh, Finglas in Dublin District Court after hearing a customs officer's locker had been tampered with.
Officer Vivian O Rodain said a stapled envelope containing 520 cigarettes seized at Henry St on February 2nd was not one of the items interfered with. Judge King said the possibility of substitution could not be ruled out and that stapling was not a proper seal.
She also dismissed a summons against Mr David Fox of St Michan's House, Dublin 7 after hearing that 360 cigarettes were stored in an unsealed envelope in an officer's locker for a number of months. She said drink driving prosecutions required a very careful procedure and she was not satisfied the State was adopting a similar safe procedure. And she dismissed a summons against Ms Karen McKenna of St Michan's House, Dublin 7 after being told that a customs officer did not know who had sealed with adhesive tape an evidence bag containing 200 cigarettes seized at O'Connell St on November 21st.
Sarah Murphy of St Mark's Drive, Clondalkin, who pleaded guilty, was fined £1,000 for having 200 cigarettes at Mary St on November 23rd. Tracey Slattery of Constitution Hill, Dublin 7 was fined a total of £1,500 for having untaxed cigarettes for sale at Mary St on November 21st and at Henry St on December 6th.