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09/06/2006
Illegal fuel plants discovered in County Armagh
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in a joint operation with PSNI have dismantled a mobile fuel-laundering plant and seized 9,600 litres of illegal fuel at three sites in County Armagh.
Around four tonnes of highly toxic acid waste was removed from the illegal fuel laundering plant in the Cullyhanna area, some of which had leaked into a nearby stream.
It is estimated that the output of the plant was around 75,000 litres per week, which had the potential of costing around £1.8 million in lost revenue.
During the operation, an illegal huckster filling station in the Jonesborough area was also closed down and 7,000 litres of illegal fuel was seized along with fuel storage equipment.
A further 2,600 litres of fuel was detained at a retail filling station in a nearby area.
HMRC Head of Detection Northern Ireland, Maggie Eyden said: “Revenue & Customs officers have stopped a substantial amount of harmful diesel from damaging engines and affecting honest businesses. If these sophisticated operations to illegally remove the chemical markers in duty-rebated fuel had not been shut down, it would have meant an annual revenue loss of nearly £1.8million. This is revenue that should be going to our schools and hospitals, not into the pockets of a few individuals."
She added: “People need to be aware of the potential environmental damage that can be caused by the indiscriminate dumping in our countryside of the waste products from the laundering process. They need to consider what happens to the waste by product and the damage caused by contamination to arable land and our water and rivers.”
(EF/SP)
Around four tonnes of highly toxic acid waste was removed from the illegal fuel laundering plant in the Cullyhanna area, some of which had leaked into a nearby stream.
It is estimated that the output of the plant was around 75,000 litres per week, which had the potential of costing around £1.8 million in lost revenue.
During the operation, an illegal huckster filling station in the Jonesborough area was also closed down and 7,000 litres of illegal fuel was seized along with fuel storage equipment.
A further 2,600 litres of fuel was detained at a retail filling station in a nearby area.
HMRC Head of Detection Northern Ireland, Maggie Eyden said: “Revenue & Customs officers have stopped a substantial amount of harmful diesel from damaging engines and affecting honest businesses. If these sophisticated operations to illegally remove the chemical markers in duty-rebated fuel had not been shut down, it would have meant an annual revenue loss of nearly £1.8million. This is revenue that should be going to our schools and hospitals, not into the pockets of a few individuals."
She added: “People need to be aware of the potential environmental damage that can be caused by the indiscriminate dumping in our countryside of the waste products from the laundering process. They need to consider what happens to the waste by product and the damage caused by contamination to arable land and our water and rivers.”
(EF/SP)
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Customs seize five fuel tankers in Belfast
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Crackdown on illegal fuel trade continues
A major fuel laundering plant, three filling stations and over 100 vehicles have been snared in a weeklong blitz by Customs on illegal fuel trading. The laundering plant, which was discovered in farm buildings on the outskirts of Cookstown, County Tyrone had the capacity to launder over 100,000 litres of diesel per week.
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06 February 2004
Two-day fuel operation leads to £13,000 fines
A two-day joint Customs and PSNI operation in the west of the province has led to the detection of 24 vehicles using illegal fuel and up to £13,000 worth of fines being handed out to drivers.
Two-day fuel operation leads to £13,000 fines
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