A Dromiskin man has gone on trial in the North accused of smuggling more than one million illicit cigarettes into Northern Ireland.
Craigavon Crown Court heard yesterday that a police armed response unit stopped 62-year-old Patrick Corrigan in July last year on the A1 road near Hillsborough, Co Down.
During a search of the vehicle armed officers found a large quantity of contraband cigarettes.
Mr Corrigan, of Commons Road, Dromiskin, Dundalk, Co Louth, denies a single charge of knowingly evading the payment of £230,000 of excise duty on the cigarettes.
Prosecution lawyer Connor Maguire also revealed that the search of Mr Corrigan’s white Mercedes Sprinter van was part of a planned operation.
Mr Corrigan was described as being “very nervous and fidgety” when questioned by police at the scene.
The jury heard that when he was brought into Lisburn police station he consistently refused to answer any questions about the van and its contents.
The trial continues.
Source: Belfast Telegraph
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