Renewed calls for NI fuel laundering crackdown
A committee of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA) has expressed alarm at what it called “evidence of the widespread presence” of fuel laundering plants and illicit fuel sales around the Irish border and beyond.
BIPA, whose mission is to promote political cooperation between the British and Irish nations, comprises politicians from the UK and Irish parliaments, as well as representatives from the UK’s devolved administrations in Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff, and the crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
A report released by BIPA’s Committee A, entitled Cross-border Police Cooperation and Illicit Trade, emphasised that: “Those involved must not be allowed to continue this illegal activity and every possible effort must be made by law enforcement authorities in their collaborative efforts to shut down these operations, despite the difficulties in policing some of these areas.”
It also recommends action on fuel laundering as part of a wider crackdown on organised crime in the area. Proposals include updated legislation to ensure filling stations that are prosecuted for selling laundered or illegal fuel cannot simply reopen a few weeks later; on-the-spot fines for those found to have knowingly purchased illicit commodities; and the plugging of enforcement gaps by targeted and increased funding.
Committee chair Senator Paul Coghlan said: “Illicit cross-border trade, particularly in fuel and cigarette smuggling, is a huge issue impacting on the lives of citizens and small businesses on both sides of the border.
“This report focuses on how the PSNI and An Garda Síochána, and the Northern Ireland Executive, Irish Government and other law enforcement agencies, work together, particularly in light of the devolution of policing and justice powers and the launch of the Cross-Border Policing Strategy in 2010.
“The Committee was hugely encouraged by the on-going positive cooperation in this area and believes that its series of practical recommendations, if implemented, can build on this good work.”
In response to the BIPA report, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) called on law enforcement authorities to redouble their efforts to shut down illegal fuel laundering operations.
It pointed out that, since fuel represents around 40 per cent of a haulier’s operating costs, the illegal fuel trade makes it harder for operators playing by the rules to sustain profit levels – thereby costing the Northern Ireland economy jobs, and limiting investment and growth in the logistics industry.
Seamus Leheny, FTA’s policy and membership relations manager for Northern Ireland, said: “Every effort must be made to prosecute the owners of these fuel laundering sites who supply a minority of commercial goods vehicle operators in Northern Ireland, enabling them to use this saving to undercut the overwhelmingly compliant and legitimate operators across Northern Ireland.”
FTA added that it supported joint enforcement by authorities on either side of the border, and called for additional means of prosecution to be considered against fuel launderers or owners of sites on which laundering occurs, such as via environmental legislation.
“The authorities must also pursue the consumers of laundered fuel, thus reducing demand for it and depriving the fuel launderers of their target market,” added FTA.
“Only strong disciplinary action by the courts will act as a serious deterrent to those involved in the fuel laundering trade.”
