The systematic selling of illicit fuel through retail outlets and its use in the transport sector is close to being fully eliminated, according to Revenue. Since 2016, Revenue has carried out an annual sampling programme to determine the extent to which laundered road diesel is found in licensed fuel outlets. The National Oil Random Sampling Programme was extended to include transport sector traders in 2018. It focuses mostly on forecourt retailers and fuel distributors and transport sector traders.
The samples are tested for the presence of Accutrace, a colourless marker with chemical properties similar to diesel but resistant to conventional dye-washing laundering methods. Since 2015, Accutrace is required to be added, in addition to the existing mineral oil marker dyes, to any supply of rebated fuel in the Republic of Ireland or the United Kingdom.
Revenue Survey
The 2020/2021 sampling programme took place between February 2020 and August 2021.
Of the 4,977 licensed fuel outlets, Revenue selected a random sample of 159 traders with 23 unavailable for testing due to a number of reasons, including having gone out of business.
Of the 136 random samples taken, evidence of laundered fuel was found in just four cases (3%).
Revenue said that it has pursued appropriate follow up action in all cases where detections were made.
