184. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether Customs officials will consider a proposal (details supplied) as regards notification for post opened during customs inspections. [67073/26]

193. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance whether customs officials will consider a proposal (details supplied) as regards notification for posts opened during customs inspections. [67075/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 193 together.

Revenue has primary responsibility for the prevention, detection, interception and seizure of prohibited and restricted goods and products intended to be smuggled or illegally imported into, or exported from, the State. Revenue enforcement teams operate at all main ports, airports and mail centres, as well as freight forwarding premises.

Teams based at mail centres are responsible for intercepting the movement of illicit goods being smuggled through the mail system in parcels, packets or letters. Officers regularly intercept drugs and other illicit products even in individual letters. This function is underpinned by section 13(4) of the Customs Act 2015 which provides that all postal packets in cross?border mail may be examined and opened, and the contents examined by an officer of customs without the requirement to notify the addressee of such examination.

In practice, all letters and parcels opened by Customs for the purpose of examination are resealed with Customs tape. The Customs tape clearly indicates that the parcel, packet or envelope has been opened for examination by Customs officers. This approach ensures that the addressee is made aware that the item has been opened by Customs, while remaining consistent with the statutory framework governing customs controls on postal traffic. This practice is similar throughout many jurisdictions across the world.

I understand that in relation to the details of the letter supplied by the Deputy, Revenue will be writing directly to this individual directly, to address the concerns raised by them.