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Smuggling link to lake pollution | Smuggling link to lake pollution |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A fuel laundering plant has been discovered at a lake in County Armagh, HM Revenue and Customs has said. | |
A significant amount of red diesel was reported in the lake by a caller to the water pollution hotline last Thursday. | |
HMRC said it thought the plant was capable of producing 21,000 litres a week, a potential revenue of £10,000. | |
The Environment Agency had previously said it believed pollution at Lowry's Lake in Hamiltonsbawn may have been linked to fuel smuggling. | |
A spokesman from HMRC said investigations were continuing into the discovery. | |
"This incident illustrates the devastating polluting effect that the trade of laundering and storing illicit fuel can have on the environment," he said. | |
"We will continue to work closely with other organisations such as the NI Environment Agency, to ensure that such activity is sought out." | |
The Environment Agency placed oil absorbent booms in a tributary feeding the lake in an attempt to stop more oil from leaking into it. | |
Ian Needham from the agency said its quick action avoided a fish kill. | Ian Needham from the agency said its quick action avoided a fish kill. |
"I think, with a reasonably rapid response and the deployment of anti-pollution equipment, we've avoided a more serious incident," he said. | "I think, with a reasonably rapid response and the deployment of anti-pollution equipment, we've avoided a more serious incident," he said. |
"Thankfully there doesn't seem to have been any fish mortalities." | "Thankfully there doesn't seem to have been any fish mortalities." |
A specialist clean-up company has been employed to remove the oil from the lake. |