Arrests after city fuel dump raid

Around 100 people were involved in the operation

A woman and a man have been arrested and tens of thousands of pounds seized in a raid on an illegal fuel dump in west Belfast.

The dump, which had been under surveillance for months, was located in an industrial estate between the Crumlin and Shankill roads.

The fuel had been brought in from the Republic via south Armagh, where it was laundered.

More than 5,000 litres of fuel were seized.

Around 100 people were involved in the operation - local Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs investigators were joined by colleagues from England. Police officers and staff from the Serious and Organised Crime Agency were also involved.

"Early this afternoon, they moved into the industrial estate and seized a van that had arrived just minutes earlier," said BBC NI home affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney.

"The van contained around 3,000 litres of diesel laundered in the republican heartland of south Armagh and then delivered to loyalist west Belfast."

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Around 100 people were involved in the raid on the premesis in west Belfast

Surveillance

Customs officials who have had the depot under surveillance for months said it has been receiving two deliveries a day and selling around 36,000 litres of fuel every week.

It is estimated that each year those who run the depot could make a profit of £400,000, which equates to £1m in lost tax revenue.

"The way the laundered fuel is transported and sold is so dangerous, customs officials have described it as a 'portable bomb'," added Mr Kearney.

"This is a bit like having a bomb in your own backyard.

"What we've got here is fuel which is volatile, and it's being delivered and stored in vehicles and premises which are not designed for the delivery and storage of fuel."