Three held over illegal booze ring
Tuesday December 08 2009
Three men were arrested after police and customs officers smashed an illegal booze and fuel operation near the Irish border.
A large fuel laundering plant capable of producing around two million litres of illicit diesel a year with an estimated annual revenue loss of £1 million was uncovered near Meigh in south Armagh.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), working with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), also found nearly 2,500 empty vodka bottles along with machinery, bottle caps and labels, believed to be part of a counterfeit alcohol bottling plant.
Officers searched a number of sheds between Newry and Meigh where they uncovered the diesel laundering plant.
Two 40ft trailers, a number of vehicles and 24,000 litres of toxic waste were removed from the site along with ten tonnes of filtration agent. Customs said around 35,000 litres of fuel was also seized.
During the searches HMRC also found the materials for a counterfeit alcohol bottling plant.
Assistant Director Criminal Investigation for HMRC in Northern Ireland John Whiting said: "This is the second significant fuel laundering operation we have uncovered this month and the illegal activity we've discovered today clearly shows the total disregard for the economic and environmental well being of our communities with personal profit the sole motivation. HMRC takes the dangerous and illegal practice of laundering fuel very seriously.
"People need to be aware of the environmental and safety issues surrounding the laundering of fuel, which is often done in rural locations.
"Indiscriminate dumping of the by-products from the laundering process can cause severe damage to arable land and our water systems, as well as taxpayers and local ratepayers having to pay for the clean up and disposal costs."
Two Co Down men and a man from Co Armagh were arrested and are currently being questioned. Officers said investigations are continuing.
