More details are emerging about what gardaí found at the farm of Thomas "Slab" Murphy, writes Conor Lally.
Gardaí and Revenue officials investigating oil laundering facilities found on the farm of Thomas "Slab" Murphy, of Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, believe it was one of the most expertly constructed they have ever found.
Senior officers working on the case also believe those behind the operation had succeeded in manipulating the farm's location straddling the Border to a much greater extent than other owners of Border properties involved in smuggling down the years.
The Irish Times has learned that Thomas "Slab" Murphy and his associates had been smuggling laundered fuel over the Border in a pipe which was connected to two major tank systems. All of the tanks were situated in an outhouse that straddles the Border.
One half of the tank system was in the South while the other half was in the North. The fuel was being smuggled across the Border in a pipe connecting the two systems, making the smuggling activity virtually impossible to detect.
Gardaí believe fuel was being smuggled from the North or South depending on the taxes being applied to fuel and the resultant retail price differential in these jurisdictions at different times.
Gardaí believe large quantities of sterling notes seized at the Murphy farm proves that those operating the oil laundry were illegally selling laundered fuel throughout Northern Ireland.
The company at the centre of the investigation is Ace Oils Ltd, which is registered at an address in Ballybinaby. Thomas "Slab" Murphy, the alleged former chief of staff of the IRA, has no registered interest or role in the company but gardaí believe he, with others, effectively controls it.
Financial records seized during the March 9th raids have revealed the company has been trading in large quantities of sterling for a considerable period.
There is no legitimate reason why a company operating in the Republic would have done so much of its business in sterling currency. Gardaí have established that Ace Oils Ltd has no registered interest in the North.
While the analysis of financial records seized, both on printed paper and on laptop computers, is still at an early stage, gardaí believe the paper trail created by those running the operation strongly indicates money laundering has been taking place.
More than €1 million in cash and cheques were seized in the raids. Great efforts had been made in the firm's financial records to hide the funds' origins.
The Irish Times understands that this may make it more difficult for the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) to identify those involved in the wider smuggling network, particularly those who bought laundered fuel in commercial quantities for resale.
Garda sources said despite Thomas "Slab" Murphy having no registered interest in Ace Oils Ltd, the fact that the company's records were found on the Murphy family farm is strongly indicative of his interest in the firm. This link will need to be firmly established by gardaí as the investigation progresses.
Some of the records seized relate to a working farm in the Ballybinaby area which is believed to be owned by the Murphy family.
While the €1 million in cash and cheques seized was put under the control of a Criminal Assets Bureau receiver by the High Court last week, no application in respect of the farm has been made.