A Bulgarian man has been sentenced to fifteen months in prison in Ireland after attempting to bring ATM skimming equipment into the country through Dublin Airport, local media reported.

Pavel Todorov, aged 29, was arrested on January 9 at Dublin Airport, where he arrived on a flight from Budapest.

Even though he went through the so-called green channel for citizens from EU member states, a customs officer working at the airport stopped him and after X-raying his bag found a sealed black box.

The customs officer opened it and found pieces of equipment he considered was for skimming credit cards from ATMs.

The Bulgarian has pleaded guilty.

He said he had grave financial difficulties after losing his job a week before the offence and was to be paid EUR 3,000 on his return to Sofia, Bulgaria.

The married father-of-one had worked in a bakery and a shop selling construction goods.