Horses and a petrol station lease have been seized in a new crackdown on alleged fuel smugglers in Northern Ireland, it was revealed today.
The Assets Recovery Agency also took control of a sports shop, homes and a fleet of cars as part of the move against three people.
ARA officials received permission at the High Court in Belfast after alleging their portfolios were amassed from fuel smuggling, tax and excise duty evasion, money laundering and benefit fraud.
Alan McQuillan, the Agency's Deputy Director, claimed the latest strike proved no-one was beyond their reach. He said: "We are sending out a clear message to those involved in illicit oil trading and all other forms of criminality that whoever they are and wherever they operate all their assets are now at risk."
The case was referred to ARA by HM Revenue and Customs following a probe into suspected fuel smuggling.