More than €3 million worth of cannabis has been seized by Revenue officers at Dublin Airport, after the drugs were concealed inside boxes falsely labelled as “Kitchen Hoods.”
The discovery was made on Saturday, with the assistance of detector dog Meabh, who helped uncover 154kg of herbal cannabis hidden in vacuum-packed packages. The illicit cargo has an estimated value of €3,080,000.
Revenue confirmed that the shipment originated in the United States and was being transported to an address in Dublin, as part of what investigators believe is an organised criminal operation.
Revenue said the seizure highlights the continued use of false labelling and misdeclaration to smuggle illegal drugs through air freight channels, with legitimate-looking consignments often used to avoid suspicion. Detector dogs and targeted intelligence-led checks remain central to enforcement operations at Ireland’s ports and airports.
Officials said investigations are ongoing and that the seizure forms part of Revenue’s continued efforts to disrupt and dismantle organised crime groups involved in drug trafficking.
The interception comes amid growing concern about drug use in Ireland, particularly cocaine, which has overtaken other substances as the leading cause of treatment demand in recent years. According to the latest Health Research Board figures, there were 13,295 cases treated for problem drug use in 2024, the highest annual number on record, and cocaine accounted for around 40 per cent of those cases — more than 5,200 people — up from previous years. Cocaine has shown sustained growth in prevalence, with powder cocaine and crack use increasing sharply over the past decade, and a dramatic rise in female treatment cases. Younger adults, especially those aged 15–34, show higher rates of recent use, with surveys indicating lifetime use well above national averages. Such figures underline cocaine’s prominence in Ireland’s drug-related harm landscape and its role in fuelling organised criminal trafficking and distribution networks.
Revenue has also appealed to businesses and members of the public to come forward if they have any information that could assist the investigation, stressing that all intelligence received is treated in confidence.
