Diesel laundry is raided
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• Irish Customs officers have raided another diesel laundering plant just south of the border with Northern Ireland.
This the fourth illicit plant to be uncovered in six months. Customs suspects a fifth site is also operating.
A 24-year-old Monaghan man was arrested at the plant near Hackballscross in County Louth. where 50.000 litres of rebated agricultural diesel were being "washed" clean of the green dye.
Laundered diesel is sold at the full market rate on both sides of the border.
Customs officers estimate that 40,000 gallons a week were being processed. At a margin of IR11.35 a gal Ion, that gave the site a potential profit of more than 111E50,000 a week. Tanks hidden inside ordinary-looking trailers are used to move the diesel around the country.
Traces of the sulphuric and hydrochloric acids used to remove dye from diesel can remain in the fuel and damage infector pumps, say Customs.