A man was arrested yesterday after the discovery of a diesel laundering plant and 60,000 litres of toxic waste in Newtownhamilton in Co Armagh.
Revenue and customs officials said the illegal operation could produce up to eight million litres of illicit fuel a year.
Fuel laundering involves removing the red dye from agricultural diesel and selling it as ordinary diesel for a profit.
A total of 19 thousand litres of laundered fuel, four filtration units and a vehicle were seized in a raid involving customs officers and police. The arrested man has been released on bail.
Revenue and customs officer Mike Connolly said: "Any fuel laundering is unregulated and dangerous but the volume of waste on this site is staggering. The by-products from the laundering process can cause severe damage to the environment with taxpayers and local ratepayers having to pay for the clean up costs."
PA