The patrolling officers were driving near Biervliet. On the parallel road, they saw a van whose front wheels barely touched the ground. They decided to take a closer look and signaled the driver to follow. This was ignored. The driver turned off and increased speed. When the vehicle received a stop signal on Sint Pietersdijk, the driver finally stopped.
Hundreds of Liters of Red Diesel Smuggled
The woman behind the wheel of the van admitted to transporting red diesel. The officers asked if they could inspect the cargo area, which the woman agreed to. Inside the vans cargo space, the officers found a large barrel containing several hundred liters of red diesel. Since 2013, red diesel has been prohibited for use in the Netherlands. Because this is an economic offense related to excise duties, Customs had to be involved. They enforce excise legislation.
Meanwhile, the officers drove to the company of the woman involved. There, additional irregularities were found, mainly concerning environmental issues.
Investigation
The officers contacted staff from the RUD (Regional Implementation Service Zeeland). They conducted checks on applicable environmental laws and regulations. The RUD identified several environmental violations, which are being addressed administratively.
Both the police and Customs are drawing up official reports. The individuals involved will be invited for an interview at the police station shortly.
