Two laundering plants dismantled in South Armagh
Yesterday, Monday 16 May, in a joint operation with the PSNI, HM Revenue & Customs officers dismantled two fuel-laundering plants at premises in South Armagh.
One was a chemical processing plant and the other a filtration plant. During the operation 3250 litres of highly toxic acid waste was removed. It has been estimated that the potential output of both plants was 3 million litres with a potential annual revenue loss of £1.5 million. Enquiries are continuing.
HMRC Head of Detection 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 entering the legitimate fuel market 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. That is why I would urge the members of the public to contact our freephone hotline 0800 59 5000 and let us know of any of any fuel misuse or suspicious activities in their area."
