Assets Settlement Praised By NIO

Successful efforts to recover 'ill-gotten-gains' have been in for high-level praise today.

The NIO Security Minister Paul Goggins - who also chairs the Organised Crime Task Force - congratulated the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and the other agencies involved in the recovery of well over £5.5m of criminal assets.

The settlement was agreed this morning in Belfast High Court and will see three brothers who are alleged to have been involved in fuel fraud and tax evasion in south Armagh surrender over £5.5m in assets.

The organisation took a civil case against Damien, Joseph and Francis McGleenan from Keady.

Welcoming this announcement by SOCA, Mr Goggins (pictured above) said: "This is a great success for law abiding businesses and citizens and a warning to others involved in fuel fraud that their activities will not be tolerated.

"The Organised Crime Task Force will continue to use all the resources and expertise at its disposal to ensure that those who have made profits from their criminal activity will have their assets recovered," he said.

SOCA said that the men had made millions from years of cross-border fuel smuggling.

The assets they handed over include 12 homes in Belfast and south Armagh, three offices and building land both in NI and in the Republic of Ireland.

Monies totalling more than £870,000 and the proceeds from the sale of two houses are included in the Consent Order, granted on Wednesday.

John Whiting of HM Revenue and Customs enforcement group said the "assets were amassed through years of fuel smuggling and excise fraud".

"Those involved in the illegal fuel trade are not providing a public service; it is organised crime funding luxurious lifestyles," he said.

See: Documents And Equipment Seized In Assets Probe

(BMcc/JM)