Retailers: 12% of diesel is laundered

PETROL retailers estimate that about 300 million litres of laundered diesel — or 12% of the total diesel market — is being sold in garages every year.

They say this is costing the state €155m in lost tax revenue and estimate that 120 sites are selling suspect fuel across the country.

The Irish Petrol Retailers’ Association claims that despite successes against illegal operators, such as Thursday’s operation across six counties, “little progress” was being made by the state in tackling the problem.