5,000 litres of illegal diesel seized

As a leading commercial vehicle insurance broker Staveley Head read an interesting article at the beginning of the week which saw a clampdown on the use of illegal fuel, with a four day sting busting HGV drivers and farmers carrying almost 5,000 litres of illegal fuel.

Vehicle enforcement officers targeted over 550 commercial and private vehicles leaving and entering Holyhead port as well as visiting nine petrol stations. Broken down, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) stopped 44 private vehicles and 483 commercial vehicles between Friday and Monday.

Of the nine petrol stations and vehicles, one station and nine commercial vehicles including HGV drivers and farmers were exposed as using and carrying laundered red diesel or green diesel the Irish equivalent.

The operation was led by Andy Burgoyne Vosa’s Road Fuel Control Officer who explained that the problem had worsened since the credit crunch with criminal gangs operating out of Ireland and selling the fuel – as well as rebated kerosene – for up to 50p less than normal diesel.  He commented:

“We’ve been here for the last three or four days and it’s been a busy time, we’ve done a blitz of the North Wales area and it’s been wholly successful.”

Adding:

"The message has got around that we’re in town, without us really having to do anything to publicise it. The word has spread and it’s had a knock-on effect – we haven’t had as many people as last year"