Here are a few extracts from a story that I spotted this the
Daily Telegraph this morning. The full article is at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.j ... nfuel8.xml
Quote:
Customs casts net wider for fuel smugglers - By Roland Gribben (Filed:
08/09/2005)
Customs officials are attempting to head off an expansion into shipping and
aviation of the fuel black market after making substantial inroads on red
diesel and petrol fraud, estimated at more than £2 billion a year. ...
HM Customs has been fighting a lengthy battle to bring diesel frauds under
control. ... Gangs ... have cashed in on fuel available to farmers at
just 5p a litre ...
Customs officers have been increasing efforts to stamp out the trade and
although there have been a number of successful prosecutions inspectors have
been unable to halt the flow. Last week two traders, Kevin O'Hare and
Brendan Morgan, both of Newry, Co Down, were jailed at Liverpool Crown Court
after being found guilty of illegal fuel trading in north west England and
Yorkshire and evading duty of more than £382,000. ...
Customs has been charged by the Chancellor to limit the market share in
illicit fuel to no more than 2 per cent in England, Wales and Scotland. It
is more difficult to set targets in Northern Ireland because of cross-border
smuggling.
TWO BILLION POUNDS A YEAR !!!
And at present MORE THAN TWO PERCENT OF MARKET SHARE !!!
This is all part-and-parcel of the Law Enforcement problem, along with
Dangerous Drivers, Uninsured Drivers et al.
I'd have no objection to Speed Cameras if they were being properly used
as part of a proper law-enforcement strategy. Right now they are being
used instead of a proper policy.
What you measure is what you get.