The Collier County Sheriff's Office participated in a three-day operation this week that targeted commercial vehicles in an effort to crack down on recent thefts of untaxed, dyed diesel fuel in the county.
By the end of the operation, 411 trucks had been checked for dyed diesel fuel and inspected for safety. Fourteen of the trucks were found to be operating illegally on red fuel; eight drivers were charged with misdemeanors; one driver was charged with a felony; 41 citations were issued; and 26 trucks were taken out of service for safety violations.
Three teams made up of CCSO deputies, along with officers from the Internal Revenue Service and the Florida Department of Transportation, conducted safety inspections of commercial vehicles on roads throughout Collier County.
The operation started Tuesday and ended Thursday.
During the inspections, IRS officers checked fuel tanks for off-road diesel fuel, which is dyed red so it is easy to distinguish from regular diesel fuel.
The IRS uses the red dye to identify diesel fuel normally sold for uses exempt from excise taxes such as farmers for agriculture.
Sgt. Dave Estes of the CCSO's Agriculture Bureau said there have been reports of thefts of red diesel fuel from agricultural and heavy equipment locations around Collier County in recent weeks.
Motorists caught running red diesel fuel could face possible fines from the IRS. During this week’s operation in Collier County, the I.R.S. levied $15,000 in fines to drivers using red fuel.
