Published Wednesday, 19 September 2012
The scene of the plant at Clontibret, Co Monaghan. (© Irish Revenue)
Officers from the Revenue's Custom Service, assisted by An Garda Síochána, found the plant at a disused mushroom house in Clontibret on Wednesday.
The plant had the capacity to launder approximately two million litres of fuel annually, a spokesperson from the Revenue said.
Ten thousand litres of laundered fuel, nine bags of bleaching agent, a car and a van were seized at the site.
Officers also discovered eight tonnes of toxic sludge in eight bulk containers.
Surveillance activity had been carried out by the Revenue as part of an ongoing crackdown on laundered fuel.
A Revenue spokesperson added: "Revenue would like to remind motorists and the public that they should be aware of the risks posed to their vehicles by using laundered fuel.
"It also takes much needed funds from the Exchequer; hurts legitimate trade and of course it is funding criminal activity."