The nature of civil recovery proceedings is such that it is not possible to quantify the exact value of assets recovered in relation to specific forms of criminality, although the Assets Recovery Agency has recovered assets from individuals whose criminality is believed to include fuel smuggling.
In the last three years in Northern Ireland, HMRC has made two cash seizures under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 from persons involved in oil laundering:
£ 2005 18,510.00 2007 23,599.54 1 Proceeds of fuel laundering. 2 Proceeds of fuel laundering, with prosecution for laundering plant pending.
(2) how many people have been convicted of and received prison sentences for offences relating to fuel laundering in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.
In Northern Ireland, in each of the last three years, there have been two prosecutions commenced for offences relating to oils laundering.
Within the same period, there have been three persons who have been convicted of offences relating to oils laundering of which:
Two, convicted in August 2006 and January 2008, have received suspended sentences
One, convicted in January 2008, is awaiting sentencing.
Criminal investigation and prosecution for hydrocarbon oils offences form only one part of HMRC's overall approach to tackling oils fraud, together with the investigation/prosecution of wider oils excise offences, combined with a strong regulatory control system and the civil penalties regime.