Gardaí uncover massive diesel laundering plant
The early morning raid uncovered the massive underground chamber in which it is estimated around €10 million litres of illegal diesel a year could be laundered at an estimated loss of revenue to the state of €6m per annum.
Gardaí say no arrests have yet been made but add that investigations are ongoing.
During the raid, which involved a large number of gardaí and Revenue officers, 40,0000 litres of illegal diesel, a lorry, four cars and a van were seized.
The land around the area where the underground plant was discovered did, or still does, belong to a well-known oil distributor who has a number of oil-related businesses in the Tyholland area and also in Monaghan town.
The Tyholland area in general was a Republican stronghold during the Provisional IRA campaign during the Troubles because of its proximity to the border and the nearby British army/police base in Middletown came under attack on many occasions from the Monaghan side of the border.
Tyholland and its hinterland has always been a renowned area for smugglers for any commodity that was cheaper on either side of the frontier. However, it is believed a number of former members of the Provisional IRA are still heavily involved in the lucrative business.
Apart from the loss of revenue to the state, the other major headache for the authorities along the border is the clean-up operations needed after a laundering plant is discovered.
The toxicity of the chemicals used to remove the legal dye that differentiates the laundered diesel from the cheaper agricultural diesel has a corrosive affect on the surrounding land and rivers and streams.
It costs local authorities millions of euros per annum to barrel the residue and ship it to Germany for disposal.
