Irish and Northern Irish customs officers have seized more than two million contraband cigarettes as part of a joint operation.

Searches involving tobacco detection dogs in Louth and Dublin yielded more than 300,000 cigarettes.

Searches in Down, Tyrone and Armagh resulted in the seizure of a tobacco processing plant and two million cigarettes, along with 12 tonnes of tobacco and £50,000 (€66,000).

Five people have been arrested in the North.

The seizures are part of a joint customs operation targeting an organised crime gang's cross border smuggling operation.

Customs officials say the investigation is continuing in both jurisdictions and internationally.

The search was assisted by tobacco and cash detection dogs Harvey and Meg:

Harvey. Image: Revenue