HMRC pounced on four Devon retailers
Three men have been arrested and a suspected fuel laundering plant in Ireland dismantled.
More than 50 HMRC and police officers carried out simultaneous searches of nine business and four residential addresses in Stoke, Crewe, Manchester, Surrey, Gloucestershire, Devon and Northern Ireland on Thursday the 13th of September 2018.
22,500 litres of fuel was siezed in south Armagh along with specialised equipment.
HMRC believe the suspected laundering plant had the capacity to produce 20 million litres of illicit fuel a year, potentially evading £11 million in revenue.
Tracey Noon, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said:
“The illicit trade in laundered fuel is a serious crime and one we are determined to detect and disrupt.
“We remain alert to the often dangerous methods and efforts of criminals to remove the government markers from rebated fuel.
“Given that laundering plants have been found adjacent to homes and retail sites we would urge anyone with information about this dangerous activity to report it to HMRC online or contact our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”
The three men arrested were questioned by HMRC and have been released pending further enquiries. Investigations are ongoing.
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