Major Customs fuel launding haul in Border region

Revenue enforcement officers supported by the Garda Regional Support Unit have seized large quantity including fuel linked to illegal laundering activity in the Border region.

 

In an intelligence-led operation which concluded on Thursday morning last, December 8, two oil tankers, 20,000 litres of laundered mineral oil, 140 bags of bleaching earth, ancillary equipment associated with oil laundering and cash, bank drafts and cheques in excess of €60,000 were seized in the Castleblaney area.

 

Simultaneous searches carried out at other locations in Cavan and Monaghan resulted in the seizure of 14,000 litres of laundered diesel.

 

The illicit product was seized at a filling station and was also found to be in use at two haulage companies.

 

The illegal activities  represent a potential loss to the exchequer of €1.2m per annum assuming the illicit product would have displaced legitimate diesel in the market place.

 

Investigations are ongoing with a view to prosecution.

 

Mineral oil attracts a significantly lower rate of excise duty and VAT and its use in ordinary road vehicles is illegal. Fraudsters attempt to remove the fuel marker and sell it at a higher price, as ordinary road diesel.  

 

Revenue introduced a new mineral oil marker (Accutrace S10™) for all marked mineral oil products, in addition to the existing markers.  Accutrace S10™ is a colourless marker whose chemical properties are similar to that of diesel, rendering it resistant to conventional dye-washing laundering methods.  The Accutrace S10™ marker was present in all of the samples taken.

 

Revenue would like to remind anyone tempted to buy cheap mineral oil from an irregular source of supply that there is a high possibility that they are buying laundered or smuggled fuel. If businesses or members of the public have any information regarding the smuggling or sale of illicit mineral oil they can contact Revenue in confidence on free phone number 1800 295 295.