Radu Budai jailed for selling untaxed cigarettes and alcohol

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Radu Budai was jailed for one year for revenue offences involving the sale of untaxed Romanian cigarettes and alcohol at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He pleaded guilty to the offences. The proceedings were reported on 8 April 2025.

The offences took place at his shop on Upper Dorset Street on 7 March 2023. Revenue officer Marie Treacy said the goods included wine, brandy and homemade alcohol; the report said all goods were seized. Defence counsel Simon Matthews said Budai was trying to compete with larger rival shops and called it a stupid decision. Judge Martin Nolan said Budai deserved a custodial term and noted Revenue lost €27,000.