A large-scale plant has been uncovered in Co Louth, which Revenue say was set up to process denatured industrial alcohol.
Revenue officers, assisted by the Garda Armed Support Unit from Dundalk, carried out a search under warrant of a premises and farm buildings on Wednesday.
They discovered the plant in the process of the search.
The plant was arranged in a production line system, and Revenue officers seized 586 litres of finished 'vodka' type product that was bottled, sealed, labelled and boxed.
They also found 4,000 litres of the raw alcohol product, which would produce in the region of 12,000 litres of 'vodka' type spirits.
Image: Revenue
Revenue seized all the production line apparatus, mixing tank, and containers - along with packaging, bottle caps and labels which were all counterfeit.
A forklift truck, and cash amounts of €5,000 and stg£1,000 were also seized.
Revenue says the potential retail value of the alcohol is approximately €460,000 - representing a potential loss to the exchequer of some €300,000.
Image: Revenue
A man was interviewed and investigations are ongoing with a view to prosecution.
Revenue is encouraging businesses or members of the public who have information regarding the smuggling or sale of illegal or counterfeit alcohol to contact Revenue in confidence on free phone number 1800-295-295.
