Smuggled Oil Discovered in Donegal
Officers from Revenue's Customs Service in Donegal have uncovered a sophisticated method of smuggling home heating oil from Northern Ireland. During a planned operation near Bridgend, Officers detained a Northern Ireland registered oil tanker, which was in the course of delivering home heating oil to a private dwelling. A detailed examination of the tanker revealed it had been adapted to conceal the presence of close to 5,000 litres of Northern Ireland home heating oil. The tanker and its contents were seized under the Finance Acts. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
This latest detection follows two other recent seizures of vans each carrying 1,000 litres of Northern Ireland kerosene, one at Newtowncunningham and one at Letterkenny. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions in these cases also.
[Ends 01/03/2005]
Additional Information
Kerosene and marked gas oil (red diesel) on sale in Northern Ireland have chemical markers added to them. There is a total prohibition on the importation of these oils and Customs Officers are empowered to seize the oil, the conveyance and any equipment used with it. Revenue has committed extra resources to this activity, which may involve house-to-house visits. Officers have the right to examine mineral oil on any premises, including private dwellings, take samples, detain the oil and initiate legal proceedings.
Another abuse of marked gas was recently uncovered when Officers operating a checkpoint near Letterkenny detained two lorries which had contrivances fitted to the fuel tanks to conceal the use of marked gas oil. Such vehicles are liable to seizure. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions in this case also.