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File pic of a fuel-laundering plant that uses cat litter as a filter. Photocall Ireland/Revenue Customs Services.
silverstream
Oil laundering plants uncovered, "large quantity" of cat litter seized in Monaghan operation
Customs officers and gardaí also found 20,000 litres of oil and three tonnes of toxic waste. One man has been arrested.
TWO OIL LAUNDERING plants have been uncovered in Co Monaghan in an operation carried out by officers from the Revenue’s Customs Service and gardaí.
They were found on adjoining sites at Killyneil, Silverstream earlier today — at a farmyard and at a commercial premises.
According to the Revenue service, the two plants had a capacity to launder six million litres of fuel a year, and could have represented a €3 million loss to the State in terms of taxes.
One of the plants used bleaching earth, while the other used cat litter to filter and launder the fuel. A “large quantity” of litter was seized by officers in the course of today’s operation.
They also found 20,000 litres of oil, a lorry, a van and five bags of bleaching earth, along with other equipment. Three tonnes of toxic waste were also uncovered.
A man in his late twenties from Northern Ireland was arrested and is being held for questioning at Monaghan Garda Station.
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