Five men have been arrested following the discovery of an illegal cigarette factory in County Louth. 

On Monday, Gardaí and Revenue staff searched a premises in Ardee and found eight tonnes of raw tobacco and 660,000 illicit cigarettes. 

The factory was shut down and the five men were taken to Garda stations across County Louth. 

All have since been charged and will appear before Dundalk District Court this morning.

Main image: A man lighting a cigarette. Picture by: PA Wire/PA Images