Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will report on Garda Operation Viking; if the operation is still active; the number of vehicles seized; the number of gardaí involved; the cost of the operation to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37198/10]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that it is assumed that the Deputy is referring to Operation Viking which was established in early 2005 in the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, Dublin Region, with the objective of countering the suspected evasion of Vehicle Registration Tax and VAT on new high value vehicles entering the State. The Operation ran until late 2005 and is no longer active. During the course of the Operation, Revenue seized over 160 vehicles. Almost 80 of these vehicles were in the high value category, with a combined value of almost €5.5 million. 60 of these high value vehicles were released on payment of almost €1.5m in outstanding VAT & VRT including penalties and interest.

Members of An Garda Síochána were not involved in the Operation. The Operation was carried out during the normal working time of Revenue Officers from a number of Dublin Districts and Revenue Customs Enforcement Officers from Dublin Port. No additional resource costs were incurred by Revenue during the operation.

Revenue continues to target evasion of VRT and other taxes and customs duties as part of its normal enforcement work. For example in the period 1 January 2010 to 30 September 2010, 1515 vehicles have been seized for VRT offences.