THE FAMILY OF a Tipperary man, who is being held in France while an investigation is carried out into the smuggling of large quantities of illicit cigarettes, protested outside the Dáil this afternoon.

Paul Barrett claims he believed the cargo in his truck, which was impounded by French authorites on March 7, was apples bound for Smithfield.

Barrett was not detained, and returned to Ireland a few days later.

However, when he travelled back to France at his employer’s request a week later to collect the truck, the 38-year-old was arrested and transferred to a Lille prison where he is still being held. He has not yet been formally charged.

Now his family is appealing to the Department of Foreign Affairs to help secure his release.

When his case was raised in the Dáil earlier this month by Tipperary South Fine Gael TD, Tom Hayes, Minister of State for European Affairs Dick Roche said the case allegedly related to “the transportation of a large amount of illicit cigarettes”.

Under French law, a person suspected of a crime can, in certain circumstances, be jailed while a judge investigates the case.