Gangs ‘study’ fuel laundering

Crime gangs are sending people to university to get chemical engineering degrees and then employing their expertise for petrol stretching as well as diesel laundering along the border.

That is according to a senior member of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) stationed in Dundalk.

Robbie Peelo, who is on the GRA’s central executive committee and stationed in Dundalk, said the fuel-altering operations were extremely sophisticated and were not only costing the State lost revenue, but millions in having to export the sludge by-products for disposal in Germany. He was speaking at the GRA annual conference yesterday.

“Revenue and Customs have introduced a dye [in diesel] that they have told us cannot be removed. But the diesel washing continues to take place. It is in fuel stations throughout the country,” Garda Peelo said.

Petrol stretching has become a serious problem in some of the border counties and has destroyed numerous car engines.

Garda Peelo warned illicit diesel and stretched petrol is making its way further south. “You will see fuel lorries along the south Armagh and south Down border with registration plates from Cork, Kerry, and Donegal. This isn’t just along the border. Fuel lorries will travel up from the areas, from as far down as west Cork, Kerry, Limerick, and Waterford, they will travel up to the border for the laundered fuel and travel back.

“People seem to think that this is a backyard operation. This isn’t; this is a very sophisticated operation. We have got individuals going through third-level, studying to become chemical engineers in order to beat these dyes and get them removed to sell washed diesel. This is a multi-million euro industry,” Garda Peelo said.

Meanwhile, addressing the conference, Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan said if Clare Daly or any member of the public has information on allegations that a garda shot a man dead and it was covered up by his superiors they should contact the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission.

The commissioner made the comment yesterday in response to the claim which was made by the TD in the Dáil two weeks’ ago and said if anybody with information felt it necessary it could also be given directly to her.

Ms Daly claimed the incident involved the shooting of a civilian by a garda and that an officer present was told to say that he was not there.

Ms O’Sullivan she “had no specific information” on the accusation prior to addressing the conference yesterday.

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