Vehicle suspected of diesel laundering seized in Chudleigh

A van believed to be used to launder red diesel has been seized by authorities in Devon.

Officers from HMRC and Devon and Cornwall Police discovered the transit van parked near Chudleigh.

As officers approached the van they found a 25 litre drum full of red diesel on one side of the vehicle and on the other a second drum containing laundered fuel with the red dye removed.

Inside the van they discovered storage tanks, cat litter for filtering and a pump powered by a car battery.

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HMRC said the mobile plant was capable of producing approximately 75,000 litres of illegal fuel a year with a loss to the Treasury of £52,000 in unpaid duty.

HMRC spokesman Bob Gaiger said investigations were ongoing.

“HMRC takes the dangerous and illegal practice of laundering, storing and selling illicit fuel very seriously,” he said.

“The fuels stored and sold from this van were unsafe and the dangers they pose to anyone in the vicinity show a total disregard for public safety.

“Any motorist using illegal road fuel runs the risk of damaging their engine and having their vehicles seized. So filling up with fuel that is being sold at a cheap price could in fact cost more in the long run.

“This fraud could be happening near you, with the profits from it funding other criminal activity.”