A man has been arrested after officials smashed a huge fuel laundering operation believed to be costing the taxpayer more than EUR10million (£7.8million) every year.
Revenue officers, backed up by the Garda, moved onto the site at Drumboat, Inniskeen, Co Monaghan, last night.
The fuel cleaning plant was set up in a commercial yard close to the border with south Armagh in Northern Ireland.
It has the capacity to launder dyes out of about 20million litres of oil every year.
It is estimated this could cost the public purse as much as 10.5 million euro (£8.2 million) every year in lost taxes.
A mobile oil laundry was concealed in an oil tanker at the plant.
Officials also seized 50,000 litres of laundered fuel, three oil tankers, two stationary tanks and other equipment associated with fuel laundering.
Toxic waste was also uncovered at the site.
A 42-year-old man arrested during the operation is being detained at Carrickmacross Garda station.
A Revenue official said: “Investigations are ongoing with a view to prosecution.”
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