06/05/2004

Fuel laundering plant uncovered in Co Tyrone

An illegal fuel laundering operation has been uncovered by police and Customs officers in Co Tyrone today.

The plant, concealed in farm buildings at a rural location in the Castlecaulfield area, had the capacity to process around 14,000 litres of fuel per week.

During the operation, Customs removed 300 litres of contaminated diesel, along with pumps, filtration and storage equipment.

Commenting on the find, Customs Head of Detection in Northern Ireland, Colin McAllister said: “This Customs and PSNI operation shows how joint working, as part of the Organised Crime Task Force, has stopped a substantial amount of harmful diesel from damaging engines and affecting honest businesses.

“People need to be aware of the environmental and safety issues surrounding laundering plants. 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."

A significant quantity of contaminated sludge, the chemical residue of the laundering process, was also cleared from the site.

(MB)

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