Issued on behalf of the Maxol Group
20 November 2014
MAXOL WELCOMES MOVES TO REDUCE FUEL LAUNDERING IN IRELAND
Brian Donaldson, Group General Manager for the Maxol Group, today welcomed the announcement by HMRC of the introduction of a new Fuel Marker from 1st April 2015 as "good news for the legitimate retail industry and the economy ".
He said: "This is another major forward step in helping the authorities tackle the illegal trade of Diesel Laundering, most commonly known as Fuel Fraud. It's estimated up to £100m is lost every year in duty revenue in Northern Ireland."
Mr Donaldson said Maxol had worked with the authorities for many years on both sides of the border and was instrumental in the introduction of traceability schemes in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
He said: "Much good work has been done but there is more to do and we call upon the authorities to bring the fuel launderers to book and to face justice. In Northern Ireland no-one has been jailed in 12 years despite the fact that over 200 illegal plants have been found. In the last 12 months alone 38 laundering plants were discovered and dismantled. Currently the crime lords face little deterrent - this must change.
"The cost to the environment is always overlooked. The laundering process produces a large amount of toxic waste which is dumped by the criminals operating the plants and left for the local councils to clean up. That cost is estimated at between £1m and £2m a year.
"Drivers can avoid ruining their cars if they fill up with recognised brands and service stations that they know well. At Maxol we introduced our own fuel quality scheme known as Fuels You Can Trust, helping customers make the right choice and giving them confidence where to buy duty paid quality fuels. Many unsuspecting customers have filled up with washed diesel or stretched petrol (where kerosene is added) causing damage to their vehicle and have no recourse for repair costs."
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