West Tyrone Ulster Unionist MLA Ross Hussey has received data which highlights the ongoing failure of HMRC to combat fuel laundering and which demonstrates the importance of granting the National Crime Agency (NCA) powers to enable it to operate to Northern Ireland to the same extent as it does in the rest of the United Kingdom.
Mr Hussey said:
“I recently tabled a number of questions to the Justice Minister seeking detailed information on the number of people convicted of fuel laundering offences.
“It is perfectly clear that the strategy adopted thus far by HMRC has been woefully inadequate as a meaningful deterrent to the criminal gangs involved in this lucrative trade.
“According to a recent report the Real IRA terrorist group has an annual income of £32m, generated from fuel smuggling and organised crime, which is helping fund its activities, making it the ninth richest terrorist group on earth.
“In the last five years almost 10 million litres were seized. This is a truly staggering figure. Yet the largest number of people arrested in a single year was 29 in 2013/14. In terms of Confiscation Orders less than £1 million has been seized and half of that was seized in one year, 2010/11.
“I am in no doubt that the NCA would be able to provide expertise and resources that would be crucial to turning the tide against the criminal gangs who are causing pollution, denying crucial funding to the Exchequer and lining their own pockets. It is high time the NCA was let off the leash and allowed to do its job.”
See below for the link to AQW 40885/11-15
http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/questions/printquestionsummary.aspx?docid=220154