This is the 100th Annual Report of the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. It records a year of strong performance during which we collected a record amount of tax and duty against the backdrop of ongoing economic and social disruptions associated with the continuing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and a fundamentally changed trading environment between Ireland and Great Britain.

During 2022, we continued our broad range of risk-focused interventions targeting fraud, illicit trade, smuggling and organised crime. We seized over 3,600 kgs of drugs worth over €46 million and made almost 7,000 seizures of illicit tobacco products valued at over €48 million. We also seized almost 600,000 litres of illicit alcohol valued at €3.9 million and seized 1,055 vehicles for various offences.

Customs: The increase in businesses’ engagement with Revenue’s Customs systems continued in 2022. This reflects the impact of the UK’s exit from the EU on 1 January 2021, the broad and wideranging international dimension of the supply chain in respect of goods imported into Ireland and the growth of eCommerce. We also worked collaboratively with colleagues in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the Health Service Executive to optimise the efficient flow of goods through our ports and airports,and continued to build on the existing cross agency collaborative approach to address practical ‘on the ground’ challenges as they emerged or as quickly as possible thereafter.

We seized over 3,600kgs of drugs with an estimated street value of almost €46.6 million. Additionally, we made 6,994 seizures of illicit tobacco products, valued at over €48 million, seized over 590,000 litres of illicit alcohol valued at €3.9 million and seized 1,055 vehicles, for various offences (report tables 18 and 19).

Seizures
• 10,357 drug seizures valued at almost €46.6 million (report table 18)
• 51.6 million cigarettes and 11,803kgs of tobacco seized, valued at €39.5 million and €8.5 million respectively (Table 19)
• 600,000 litres of alcohol, valued at 3.9 million (Table 19)
• 1,055 vehicles (Table 19)
• 57,793 litres of illicit fuel (Table 19)
• 37 cash seizures amounting to €1,405,627 (Table 20)
• Cash forfeiture orders amounting to €1,024,338 granted by the Circuit Court in 24 cases (Table 21)

P.39 We have primary responsibility for the prevention, detection, interception and seizure of controlled drugs intended to be smuggled or illegally imported into, or exported from, the State. Our drugs intervention approach supports Ireland’s National Drugs Strategy “Reducing Harm, supporting recovery: A health led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland 2017 – 2025”. 4 We deploy a risk-based approach to our detection and intervention strategy to identify key players within the various strands of the illicit drugs supply chain. We work collaboratively with our national and international law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle core supply chains, including the seizure of product, and to develop and share intelligence. Those involved in the illegal drugs trade use increasingly inventive and complex smuggling methods and concealment techniques and have the capability and resources to adapt their methodologies quickly. We continually monitor trends and developments in this regard and adopt a very flexible and agile response in terms of resource deployment and risk prioritisation. We work closely with An Garda Síochána, particularly the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), in joint investigations and operations. During 2022, we participated in 69 controlled deliveries of drugs which lead to 51 arrests, as well as 26 joint operations with the GNDOCB. We also work closely with the Health Products Regulatory Authority, the Irish Naval Service, and international bodies such as the Maritime Analysis Operations CentreNarcotics (MAOC-N) in Lisbon, Europol, Interpol, the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and law enforcement agencies in other countries. During 2022, we made over 10,300 drugs seizures, totalling 3,600kgs with an estimated value of €46.6 million (Table 18).

P.43 In 2022, we saw an increase in the number of seizures of illicit alcohol at our main ports. This is as a result of co-operation and intelligence sharing between Ireland and other EU Member States, in relation to the movement of product between bonded warehouses within the EU. A total of over 590,722 litres of alcohol with an estimated value of €3.9 million was seized during the year. Additionally, Ireland participated in multi-national operations involving other Member States, targeting fraudulent movements of alcohol products.