GARDAI, including members of the Armed Response Unit, were involved along with Revenue officers early yesterday (Wednesday) in a major swoop on an illicit fuel laundering plant in Co. Monaghan, close to the South Armagh Border.
The plant was discovered at a large shed at Drumacon, about three miles from Castleblayney.
A tank with 20,000 litres of fuel was found, along with 68 bags of bleaching earth, ancillary equipment, 5 cars and 1 jeep.
All the vehicles were seized by the Revenue authorities.
The plant had the capacity to launder 15 million litres of fuel annually.
A substantial amount of toxic waste was also discovered at the site—-approximately 7 tonnes.
According to a senior Revenue spokesman, the find had a potential loss of €8 million to the Exchequer.
Gardai were questioning one man following the swoop. A spokesman said they were hoping to interview some other persons in the area about the operation.
In recent months, Monaghan and Louth County Councils have been forced to spend more than €3 million clearing sludge from laundered fuel away from roads in the area where it was dumped overnight by racketeers, posing a toxic threat to waterways and farmland.