Courts / Dublin / Report
Man spared jail for having 22,000 cigarettes in suitcase
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Lithuanian citizen Algirdas Dapkunas, aged 47, was found guilty of evading duty on 22,000 Marlboro Gold cigarettes, valued at over €11,700, which he attempted to bring into Ireland. Customs officials discovered the cigarettes during an X‑ray scan of his luggage and identified a boarding pass for a return flight to Lithuania hidden in his sock. Dapkunas admitted he carried the cigarettes because they were cheaper in Ireland and intended to sell some. He was arrested on 18 August after being stopped at the green channel in Dublin Airport and has been in custody since. The court imposed a suspended six‑month sentence and barred him from returning to Ireland for three years, with conditions that he depart Dublin within seven days. No prior convictions were noted. The case highlights the enforcement of duty‑evasion laws at Irish borders.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man spared jail for having 22,000 cigarettes in suitcase. Charges or matters: one count of evading duty on 22,000 cigarettes with a value of over €11,700. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- August 18 Incident
- 2016-10-14 Publication
Why: Dapkunas told customs officials he brought in the cigarettes "because they are a little more expensive in Ireland", the court heard. Court evidence reported by CNI
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: one count of evading duty on 22,000 cigarettes with a value of over €11,700 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: A Lithuanian man who tried to bring 22,000 cigarettes into the country without paying duty has been given a suspended six-month sentence and barred from returning to Ireland for three years. She handed down a six-month sentence and suspended it on a number of conditions including that Dapkunas depart from Dublin within seven days and not return to Ireland for three years.
Places mentioned
Topics
Airport Incidents Stage Sentence
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