Action call on fuel fraudsters

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7077597.stm

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Just seven people have been charged with fuel laundering offences in Northern Ireland since 2002.

The information was obtained in the House of Lords by Ulster Unionist peer Lord Laird.

The small number of prosecutions came despite the fact that scores of laundering plants have been raided and1.7m litres of illegal fuel seized.

Lord Laird branded the record of prosecutions "disgusting" and called for tougher action.

He said it should be relatively easy to trace the premises where the fuel is found to their owners.

"There are a lot of blind eyes being turned at this. If people break the law, I don't care what their motivation is - they should be punished."

Government deputy chief whip Lord Davies told Lord Laird: "Criminal investigation and prosecution for fuel laundering form only one part of HMRC's overall approach to tackling oils fraud in Northern Ireland.

He said there was also "the investigation/prosecution of wider oils excise offences, combined with a strong regulatory control system and civil penalties regime".

Noel Smyth, from the Petrol Retailers' Association, said he was surprised by the small number of prosecutions.

"I am quite sure that the majority of people would want to see prosecutions taking place so that justice isn't only done but is seen to be done."