IN ILLEGAL GASOLINE SCHEME

Eight Brooklyn dealers plead not guilty to charges that they

schemed to rip off gas stations on Long Island and NYC by

illegally importing thousands of gallons of gasoline from New

Jersey where taxes are lower and the fuel additive MTBE is

still permitted. The eight posed as legitimate gas delivery companies

and allegedly sold regular gas at premium prices,

short-changed gas station owners on the volume delivered,

and pocketed the difference.

They also allegedly avoided paying tens of thousands of

dollars in higher NYS taxes.