State withdraws case against water meter installer accused of involvement in alleged diesel laundering

The State has withdrawn its case against a 35-year-old water meter installer charged with involvement in an alleged diesel laundering operation. The man, a company director from County Armagh, faced a charge under the Finance Act relating to the removal of a prescribed marker from mineral oil without Revenue Commissioners' consent. The alleged offence occurred in September 2011 at Corraglary, Castleblayney, County Monaghan. Gardaí had alleged the yard possessed capacity to produce approximately 18 million litres of fuel annually, representing a potential €9 million loss to the exchequer. At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions indicated she was not proceeding and applied to strike out the charge. Judge Patricia Ryan agreed and adjourned the matter to 24 April for a costs application hearing. No reason was provided for the withdrawal. The defendant's firm holds a three-year contract with Dublin City Council for water meter installation.