[Article] Warning over danger of illegal fuel lorries

Warning over danger of illegal fuel lorries
From:ireland.com
Monday, 17th July, 2006

Lorries transporting illegal fuel through Northern Ireland pose a grave safety risk to other motorists, it was claimed today.

East Antrim Ulster Unionist Assemblyman Ken Robinson warned lives could be endangered if one of the lorries crashed and demanded an enforcement blitz on both sides of the border to tackle a problem costing the Exchequer millions every year.

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee recently warned of paramilitary involvement in cross-border smuggling of rebated fuel.

Mr Robinson said: "Paramilitaries and criminal gangs operating around the border area have been involved in producing mammoth amounts of illegal fuel, which in itself is highly dangerous, and they are now targeting Great Britain as a potential new market for the distribution of their illegal substances.

"My concern is that a major incident could occur during the transportation of the fuel.

"Rogue lorry drivers are travelling to the Republic of Ireland to pick up large quantities of laundered fuel and it is often the case that the drivers are transporting the fuel not only in their tanks but on their trailers, which are not properly equipped for such purposes."

Numbers of legitimate petrol retail outlets in Northern Ireland have fallen from around 790 in 1994 to around 350 at present under pressure from illegal fuel sales.

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee report said smuggling and cross-border shopping was responsible for the demise of many businesses.

MPs found the number of legitimate petrol retail outlets in Northern Ireland had fallen from around 790 in 1994 to around 350 at present.

Mr Robinson said ferry operators and authorities within Great Britain should tighten controls.

"I would appeal to the authorities on both sides of the (Irish) border to intensify their efforts in an attempt to deter such rogue operators," he added.

"All that is required is for one lorry to be involved in an accident on our roads or on a ferry crossing the Irish Sea and a major incident could develop very quickly."