Revenue officers seized approximately 15,000 litres of laundered fuel at a premises in Arklow, Co Wicklow, yesterday (23 March). This included 10,000 litres in an oil tanker and approximately 5,000 litres in a tank on the premises.
The oil tanker transporting the laundered fuel was also seized.
Revenue stated in a release about the seizure that it has ‘prioritised action on the illicit fuel trade’ over the last number of years, and has ‘successfully implemented a wide-ranging strategy to tackle the problem of fuel fraud, particularly fuel laundering’.
As part of this strategy, a new ‘Accutrace’ fuel marker was introduced jointly with HMRC in both Ireland and the UK. The new marker enables Revenue to test samples of road diesel from distributors, forecourts and transport companies to identify the lower-taxed marked diesel intended for off-road use only, and take appropriate enforcement action where the marker is detected.
This new fuel marker was found present in yesterday’s seizure, and enabled the successful detection of the laundered fuel.
Investigations are ongoing in the case, with a view to criminal prosecution.
© 2017 - Checkout Magazine by Donncha Mac Cóil
