Garda and Customs officials have arrested two men and seized 40,000 litres of illegal fuel in a raid on a sophisticated oil laundering plant in Glaslough, Co Monaghan.
Vehicles and equipment used in the laundering operation were also seized in the operation. They included a 15m tanker and lorry, a van, a forklift and a compressor.
The raid, which took place last night, involved officers from the Customs service and members of the Garda Regional Support Unit.
Two men in their 30s from Northern Ireland were arrested at the scene and were taken to Monaghan Garda station for questioning.
The illegal plant was capable of laundering around 8 million litres of fuel annually, resulting in a potential loss to the Exchequer of an estimated €4 million per annum.
Yesterday's raid follows an operation last month in which 150,000 litres of laundered fuel were seized at illegal plants in six counties, of which was one of the largest laundering plants ever found in the Republic.
The plant discovered in Monaghan was found at a warehouse in Corrygarry, Castleblayney, and was laundering fuel when the Garda and Customs team moved in.
It was capable of laundering about 18 million litres of fuel annually, resulting in a potential loss to the Exchequer – and revenue for the gang responsible – of an estimated €9 million per annum.
