Blow To Australian Tayto Black Market As Crisp Now Widely Available

The Irish abroad are set to feel that little bit closer to home following the news that Tayto crisps along with several other famous Irish products are to be sold across Australia in the stores of retail giant Coles.

It is estimated the Irish goods to the value of €37 billion were sold on the black market last year alone.

The news was warmly welcomed by Irish communities throughout Australia as they no longer have to buy the products via Australia’s notorious black market.

Irish goods such as Tayto, Club Orange and Lyons Tea have been smuggled into Australia evading the country’s strict border controls to be sold at extortionate prices by criminal gangs seeking to exploit Irish people’s love for local produce.

WWN spoke to a number of Irish people living in Australia to better understand what this latest news means for them.

“Ah, when I got over here I kind of got used to doing without to be honest,” shared Dublin man Josh Matthews, “and anyway the local dealers were selling a tea bag for 15 dollars which is just too expensive”.

Offaly man Cíaran Daniels welcomed the news that Irish goods would now be available in most supermarkets. “I’ll be glad to see the back of the days when I had to travel well out of Sydney and down the dark alleys of the suburbs all for a strawberry Mooju at 40 quid a pop,” he shared.

The black market brings with it a significant danger to those who seek out goods as demonstrated by a story told to us by Sligo man Fiachra Ó Gliasáin who has lived in Sydney for the past 3 years.

“I’m not proud of my behaviour, I just want that on record. It was winter time and you’d see the lads at home on Facebook, pictures of the selection boxes, Roses and Heroes and that,” Fiachra began, his voice trembling, “I went to see my usual fella to get some Tayto and chocolate but he had just sold his last batch to some guy from Cork…and I…Oh God! I gouged a man’s eye out for a bar of Cadbury’s Mint Crisp,” concluded the Sligo man before breaking down in tears.

It is hoped the news of Coles stocking Irish produce will bring an end to such incidents seen on the black market in recent years.

More to follow as we get it…