Illegal filling station shut down in Lancashire
A diesel laundering plant and illegal
filling station, capable of evading £14.5 million in duty a year, have been
dismantled by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in the Darwen area of Lancashire.
HMRC officers, accompanied by Lancashire Constabulary, searched commercial
premises and discovered the laundering plant on 10 March 2015. It is suspected up to
26 million litres of fuel per annum could be laundered to remove government
markers, with the diesel then sold on to unsuspecting motorists as legitimate
road fuel.
Pat Curtis, National Oils Co-ordinator, HMRC, said:- "Fuel laundering is a
dangerous activity. We believe that fuel was stored, laundered and sold from
this property without any safety precautions, endangering motorists buying fuel
there.
You may think buying illicit fuel is a bargain, but you have no idea what you're
getting, and you can be sure that you are lining the pockets of criminals. Each
year £480 million is lost to fuel fraud in the UK, money that should be funding
public services. We ask anyone with information about this type of activity to
contact us on the Customs' Hotline on 0800 59 5000."
2 mixing tanks; each with a 71,000 litre capacity, 12,000 litres of suspected
laundered fuel, a fork lift truck and other equipment were seized during the
operation. Investigations are continuing.
Detective Sergeant Tim Brown from Lancashire Police said:- "This joint
investigation demonstrates how we work together with partner agencies such as HMRC
to disrupt and dismantle criminal activity on this scale. Let me be clear, the
laundering of red diesel is illegal and this type of activity can go further
with those involved often being linked to other organised criminality. We will
target those involved and need the public to work with us and ask them to report
anything suspicious to us."
