Smuggling link to lake pollution

Red diesel was spilled into the lake

A fuel laundering plant has been discovered near a County Armagh lake, HM Revenue and Customs has said.

A significant amount of red diesel was reported in the lake by a caller to the water pollution hotline last Thursday.

HMRC said it thought the plant was capable of producing 21,000 litres a week, a potential revenue of £10,000.

The Environment Agency had previously said it believed pollution at Lowry's Lake in Hamiltonsbawn may have been linked to fuel smuggling.

A spokesman from HMRC said investigations were continuing into the discovery.

"This incident illustrates the devastating polluting effect that the trade of laundering and storing illicit fuel can have on the environment," he said.

"We will continue to work closely with other organisations such as the NI Environment Agency, to ensure that such activity is sought out."

The Environment Agency placed oil absorbent booms in a tributary feeding the lake in an attempt to stop more oil from leaking into it.

Booms were used to stop the oil from spreading

Ian Needham from the agency said its quick action avoided a fish kill.

"I think, with a reasonably rapid response and the deployment of anti-pollution equipment, we've avoided a more serious incident," he said.

"Thankfully there doesn't seem to have been any fish mortalities."

A specialist clean-up company has been employed to remove the oil from the lake.

Bosco Hughes, from Armagh Fisheries Club, said the lake is a "haven for wildlife".

"It's an area of beauty, it's an area for people to walk and it's a fantastic fishing lake.

"We promote wildlife and for this to happen, it's disastrous. Everybody is very concerned, devastated even."