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<p>HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) fights fuel fraud on a wide range of fronts, from
special units performing thousands of roadside checks to dismantling laundering plants.
Additionally the UK will shortly implement an improved new marker for rebated fuel,
which will make it much harder for criminals to launder marked fuel and sell it at
a profit. The impact of this activity is shown by the fact that 2.11m litres of illicit
fuel were seized in the UK in 2013/14 (including 0.57m in Northern Ireland) and 44
laundering plants were dismantled in the same period (38 of these were in Northern
Ireland).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC arrests those
involved in fuel fraud, but decisions over prosecutions are made by the judiciary.
It is not possible to break down figures to determine prosecution specifically for
fuel smuggling in Northern Ireland, but prosecutions for all forms of fuel fraud are
as follows (figures are not available for years before 2011/2012):</p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>14</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>6</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>HMRC
works closely with the Revenue Commissioners in the Republic of Ireland at a number
of levels; this includes regular exchange of information, joint operational activity
and the gathering of evidence for use in criminal prosecutions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p>At a strategic level the development of the new fuel marker has been a joint
initiative between HMRC and the Revenue Commissioners. The Revenue Commissioners are
also partners in the Cross Border Fuel Group. This sub-group of the Organised Crime
Task Force is chaired by HMRC and includes representatives from the Police Service
of Northern Ireland, National Crime Agency, Environmental Agency, plus their equivalents
from the Republic of Ireland. It last met on 23 October 2014. In addition to identifying
emerging trends and areas of common interest, this Group also identifies opportunities
to take multi-agency action against organised fuel crime.</p><p> </p><p>No assessment
has been made of the loss of revenue specifically due to fuel laundering. However,
tax gap figures published by HMRC estimate the market share for all illicit diesel
in Northern Ireland as 13%, or £80M in 2012/13. Petrol fraud is negligible.</p><p>
</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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