‘Huckster’ fuel site raided in Ballymena

Nearly 10,000 litres of suspected illicit fuel, vehicles, pumps, tanks and equipment along with over £30k in cash were removed from the site last Tuesday evening by HM Revenue & Customs staff assisted by officers from the PSNI.

Officers also seized a 40’ curtain sided lorry containing two 15,000 litre fuel tanks, secured only by a series of canvas straps, as part of the operation.

Three people were arrested, a man and a woman from Co. Antrim and one man from Co. Armagh. All three have been released on bail pending further enquiries.

John Whiting, Assistant Director, Criminal Investigation, HMRC, said: “HMRC takes very seriously the unfair and illegal practice of selling illicit fuel. It is wrong that honest businesses should be undercut by criminals. Those involved in the illegal fuel trade are not providing a public service; it is organised criminality, which impacts on local communities and makes it more difficult for legitimate businesses to compete.

“The fact that this 40’ lorry contained two large fuel tanks secured only by a few canvas straps shows a total disregard for the safety of other road users and we would encourage anyone with information about this type of activity to contact us on our Custom’s Hotline 0800 59 5000”.

Welcoming the joint police and customs operating, UUP MLA for the area, Robin Swann said he ‘shuddered to think’ of the consequences “had there been a spillage of this illegal fuel or one of the containing lorries had crashed”.

And he appealed to anyone using, or considering using, illegal fuel in their vehicles to desist.

“In these financially strained times, cheap fuel is highly attractive to consumers, but people should beware of the false economy of cheap fuel, consumers also need to be aware of the effects on the warranties of their vehicles if they are found to have been using illegal fuel. There is also the danger to the actual vehicles themselves through the usage of illegal fuel,” he said.

“The government if serious about tackling fuel smugglers and launders should look to fuel price stabilisers and help the law abiding citizen by making the dealing of illegal fuel less financially rewarding.

“It should also not be underestimated the disastrous effect illegal stations have on the local economy, especially in the loss of fuel tax and VAT which has been estimated at a loss to the exchequer of £400m per year,” said Mr Swann.

“Significantly, too, there are the highly damaging effects which this illegal fuel can have on the environment, both in terms of a potential spillage – especially into our rivers or onto farmland – the processes used to launder fuel also produce high toxic by-products which are often carelessly disposed of – and from the exhaust fumes of vehicles using this illegal fuel.

“The transportation of this illegal fuel is also highly dangerous. I shudder to think of the consequences had there been a spillage of this illegal fuel or one of the containing lorries had crashed,” he said.

“I would also appeal to the community to assist the police in whatever way they can by giving any information they know about the activities or whereabouts of any other illegal fuel stations.

“And I would also appeal to anyone using, or considering using, illegal fuel in their vehicles to desist from doing so as it can lead to a false economy” said Assemblyman Swann.

A spokesperson for HMRC stated that investigations are continuing and that for legal reasons they were unable to pinpoint the location of the site beyond stating that it was “off the A26 Ballymoney Road North of Ballymena”.