Fuel laundering is a major issue in this area
The Criminal Assets Bureau is taking High Court action against a series of suspected fuel smugglers around the country, many of whom are in the North Louth area.
The bureau is listed in a total of 25 High Court cases where assets belonging to the targeted figures have already been frozen. The total value of assets is estimated at roughly €1.75m, according to The Irish Independent.
As well as losing those assets, any convicted smuggler could also face hefty financial penalties.
Most of those being targeted by CAB are based in either south Armagh or counties Louth and Monaghan and are under investigation by gardaí and Customs.
Some of those under scrutiny are also said to have links with the Provisional IRA, with one gang reported to have networks spread through the state.
In a major operation last year, led by the bureau here and the North’s customs officers, searches were carried out in counties Louth, Monaghan, Dublin, Kildare, Waterford, Offaly, Roscommon, Westmeath, Meath and Tipperary, as well as south Armagh on the far side of the Border.
The home of a petrol retailer and the offices of an international transport company were among the premises raided and a large number of files, computers and discs were seized during the raids.
More than two dozen bank accounts were subsequently frozen and cash seized while a fuel plant, with the capacity to launder several hundred thousand litres of diesel, was also uncovered.
Bureau officers spent months tracking down bank accounts suspected of being used by the launderers and initial finds opened up fresh leads as the financial extent of the operation widened.
Apart from the gangs, directly linked to former Provisional IRA leaders or dissident republican groups, other suspected launderers have also come into the sights of the bureau.
One businessman, who is regarded as a kingpin in the cross-border trade, will shortly be served with a seven-figure tax demand by the CAB following a multi-agency investigation into his activities.
He has been a key target of gardai and Customs for several years and has already made one substantial settlement with the bureau.
Source: CAB targets fuel laundering suspects with 25 court actions (Irish Independent)
