Truck profiles built to catch smugglers
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s by Brendan Nolan
Irish customs officers have launched a truck "profiling" system designed to catch smugglers at Irish ports.
The origin and manifests of a load and the passengers are noted, allowing for a profile of the truck and its operating habits to be built. Any unusual patterns of behaviour are then observed as a matter of course. If smugglers are caught, the truck and its load are automatically confiscated by customs.
The new system is in response to an increase in smuggling in recent weeks. Last week's seizure of two trucks in Dublin port follows last month's capture, in Ross'are. of a truck travelling from Spain with six million cig arettes hidden in a load of lettuce. A Welsh driver was arrested in Dublin when more than 1,000 litres of Fosters lager and 4.500 cigarettes were confiscated. The total haul, including the truck was worth £33,000.
And a two-week long surveillance operation resulted in two Armagh men being arrested in Dublin and losing their £14,000 truck with 21.000 cigarettes on board.
• Strabane District Council trucks have joined the exodus across the border to buy diesel in the Republic of Ireland follow ing the Budget increases. The council says it will save £20,000 a year by doing so. £100 will now purchase 231 litres in the south and just 141 litres in Northern Ireland.