The Criminal Assets Bureau and Gardai have this morning raided properties in Tipperary and nine other counties as part of a major investigation into fuel laundering.
Operation Loft is a major multi-agency and cross-jurisdictional investigation into the profits generated by the illegal fuel trade – and it's focusing on a criminal gang based in Co Louth.
In all 19 properties were searched including homes, businesses and warehouses.
Over 200 officers from the Gardaí, CAB, the Regional Support Unit and Revenue carried out the raids supported by the Emergency Response Unit, the Garda Air Support Unit and the Air Corps.
Around 100 officers from the PSNI and Customs carried out a number of similar searches north of the border.
Gardai say the sole purpose of this morning's operation is to gather evidence of this illegal activity – which represents a significant loss to the Irish Exchequer.
