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Illegal fuel laundering plant (File photo) Niall Carson/PA Wire
Black Market
Two oil laundering plants uncovered in Louth raid
Revenue said the illegal laundries represented a possible loss to the Exchequer of €8 million a year.
TWO OIL LAUNDERING plants have been discovered by Customs officials in an early morning raid on a house and a lorry in Louth.
In two connected and simultaneous operations, armed Gardaí and Revenue officers found the plants in Ravensdale Park in Dundalk as part of an investigation into black market fuel.
Revenue estimated that the oil laundries represented a potential loss to the Exchequer of €8 million and had the capacity to launder around 15 million litres of fuel per year.
The first operation was hidden in a large lorry at a commercial premises while the second was found in a nearby house and yard.
The search also uncovered three tones of toxic waste.
Revenue’s Customs service seized ten vehicles, three oil tankers, 100 bags of bleaching earth and 34,000 litres of fuel at the scene.
Revenue called on the public to be aware of the risks posed to vehicles by using illegally laundered fuel and warned that the practice funds criminal activity and hurts legitimate trade.
A total of nine oil laundries were found across Ireland last year and more than 150,000 litres of fuel were seized by Revenue.
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