An illegal gas bottling facility could have wreaked havoc on the small village of Cullaville, the Chair of the Organised Crime Task Force and Security Minister Paul Goggins has said. During a visit to Portadown Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) station to view the bulk gas containers that were seized last month, he praised those involved in the process to dismantle the illegal operation. He went on to say, "Those operating the illegal gas bottling plant were only interested in making money and showed a blatant disregard for the safety of the community. This illegal facility was a disaster waiting to happen and could have resulted in a major explosion in the middle of Cullaville. It posed a very real danger to public health and safety."
The dismantling of the plant essentially underlines the effectiveness of a partnership approach to tackling organised crime. In the operation, the PSNI were supported by HM Revenue and Customs, the Fire Service and the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSE NI). The seizure on 12 March 2007, which was reported in last month's bulletin, was the first of its kind in Northern Ireland and over 3,500 illegally filled gas containers and bulk storage tanks containing approximately 24 tonnes of liquid petroleum gas were taken control of.
