Three men who pleaded guilty to one of the biggest cigarette-smuggling operations in the Republic were each given suspended jail sentences at the Circuit Criminal Court in Monaghan yesterday.
Gardaí and customs authorities gave evidence of seizing a consignment of more than three million cigarettes with an estimated value of €908,181,
The accused were Ultan Tracey (42), of St Alphonsus Terrace, Dundalk; Barry McDonald (40), of Captain's Road, Forkhill, Co Armagh; and John O'Hanlon (33), of Mountain Road, Dromintee, Newry, Co Down.
Tracey and McDonald were each sentenced to two years' imprisonment, suspended by Judge Con Murphy for four years upon each entering a bond of €500 to be of good behaviour during that period, and each making a donation of €10,000 to the St Vincent de Paul Society in Monaghan.
O'Hanlon was given a suspended sentence of six months' imprisonment on entering a bond of €500 to be of good behaviour for four years, and donating €5,000 to the St Vincent de Paul Society.
Frank Martin, prosecuting, said it was accepted that O'Hanlon had played a lesser role in the operation.
The three were charged with intent to defraud Revenue of duty on 3,220,500 cigarettes at Cornagarvogue, Co Monaghan, on July 15th, 2003.
The cigarettes were seized in a shed near Inniskeen village, close to the Monaghan-Armagh Border, on the same date. Det Sgt Tom Duffy, Dundalk, said he was admitted to the premises by Tracey. The two other accused were found hiding behind boxes in the shed.