Revenue officers seized 40,500 litres of marked mineral oil with an estimated retail value of over €66,200 in County Tipperary yesterday. The exact location has not been revealed. The Revenue operation was conducted after a risk profiling exercise was completed.
The illicit fuel was discovered during the search of a haulage yard and represents a potential loss to the Exchequer of approximately €34,800. A man in his 30s has been questioned about the seized goods.
Marked gas oil (MGO) is diesel on which Mineral Oil Tax at a reduced rate has been paid on condition that it is used only for purposes that qualify for that reduced rate. It is chemically marked and dyed green to deter misuse for purposes to which a higher rate of tax applies.
Revenue also confirmed today that in an unrelated seizure that was also the result of risk profiling, 24,875 litres of beer with an estimated value of over €99,000 was confiscated at Rosslare Europort. The illicit beer, of multiple brands, represents a potential loss to the Exchequer of more than €46,400.
The consignment was discovered during the search of an accompanied trailer which had disembarked from a ferry from Dunkirk, France. Both the trailer and alcohol have been seized and the driver of the load has been questioned.
Investigations into both seizures are ongoing.
