24/05/2002

Crime Task Force uncover illegal fuel plant

As the Organised Crime Task Force launched its second year strategy in Hillsborough Castle yesterday it emerged police and Customs and Excise officers have shut down another major fuel laundering plant in County Tyrone.

Only hours after the announcement of further government crackdown measures on the bosses of organised crime, police officers uncovered a fuel laundering plant in Coalisland.

It is the third to be shut in the past week, with officers uncovering what they thought to be the biggest diesel laundering plant in Newry last Friday capable of producing over 1 million litres of illegal diesel per month. Another two were discovered in Antrim and west Belfast.

With this latest fuel-laundering find in County Tyrone, initial estimates suggest the plant had the capacity to launder in excess of 70,000 litres of diesel per week, which would mean a weekly duty loss of around £35,000.

Customs officers seized approximately 5,300 litres of laundered fuel along with a quantity of pumping, filtration and storage equipment. Hazardous chemicals used to launder ‘red’ diesel were also discovered.

No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.

A Customs spokesperson said: “Yesterday’s strategy launch outlined the success of the Task Force’s first year.

“The last week’s operations have stopped a substantial amount of harmful diesel entering the fuel market and damaging honest retailers.

“With the recent increase in Customs officers, close working with the police and other agencies and the establishment of the Organised Crime Task Force, we believe that Government action has slowed the growth of oils fraud.”

(AMcE)

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