Northern Ireland Office

The Government has stepped up its fight against fuel fraud with the creation of a new all island group to crack down on those who profit from this crime.

Chair of the Organised Crime Task Force, Paul Goggins MP was joined by Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Jane Kennedy MP and to formally launch the Cross Border Fuel Fraud Enforcement Group.

The new initiative brings together law enforcement agencies from both sides of the border to share intelligence and resources to maximise convictions and target individual cases.

Operating under the banner of the Organised Crime Task Force, membership of the group is drawn from the PSNI, HMRC, SOCA, Revenue Commissioners and the Criminal Assets Bureau.

Paul Goggins said: “The new group brings together expert from both side of the border and is fully supported by both Governments. It will use all the resources at its disposal to drive those involved in this illegal trade permanently out of business.

“The group has been briefed to disrupt and dismantle the fuel fraudsters, strip them of their cash and put them before the courts.

“The formation of the group is a major and significant step forward in the fight against cross border fuel fraud.”

Jane Kennedy, who was in Sprucefield to formally launch the group, insisted that the Government would introduce new legislation if the group believed it would help drive the criminals out of business.

She said: "There is legislation already available to the law enforcement agencies to enable them to tackle fuel laundering. This initiative will not only make the fullest use of that legislation it will also identify if further new offences are needed.

“The initiative will lead to the investigation of offenders at all stages of the illegal fuel laundering process as well as focusing on the leaders of the organised criminal network.

“Our objective is to reduce the illegal supply of laundered fuel by tackling the criminals behind it but also those who deliberately buy it. This will create a level playing field for hard working law abiding suppliers."

Notes to Editors

The Cross Border Fuel Fraud Enforcement Group comprises of:

HM Revenue and Customs

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Serious Organised Crime Agency and

Northern Ireland Office

Irish Representation on the group is from:

Revenue Commissioners and

Criminal Assets Bureau

More Information about the OCTF can be found at www.octf.gov.uk