NEARLY €2 million worth of cigarettes was discovered in Wolfhill last week after gardaí and customs officials swooped in on an illegal gang.
In a joint operation, the cigarettes, worth €1.7 million, were discovered in a container as the gang made their way through Wolfhill.
The container arrived into Dublin Port earlier that day and custom officers began their surveillance operations. Backed up by gardaí from the Kildare region, customs moved on the container at 3pm and found up to four million cigarettes in the hold.
Gardaí say the seizure has a potential retail value of €1.7million and represented a potential loss of €1.3 million to the exchequer.
Four people were questioned in relation to the find and a file is being prepared for the DPP.
Meanwhile, two men were arrested in Abbeyleix after attempting to break into a Gala shop in Ballyroan.
Abbeyleix gardaí intercepted a car with the two men inside on Tuesday morning last at 5am after being alerted by a local man in Ballyroan, who told them attempts had been made to break into the Gala shop in the village.
It is understood the alarm in the shop was triggered at about 4.50am, which alerted a neighbour who immediately phoned Abbeyleix garda station. The two men fled the scene and made their way towards Abbeyleix.
Gardaí stopped them outside the graveyard in Abbeyleix where they were arrested and charged with trespassing offences. The two men, who are not believed to be local, are due to appear at Portlaoise District Court in September.