390,000 Contraband Cigarettes Seized by the Cornwall RCMP Detachment

On May 7th, 2008, at 7:00 p.m., in partnership with intelligence officers from the Canada Border Services Agency, officers from the Cornwall RCMP Detachment stopped a 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe on Highway 401 westbound in South Stormont, Ontario. The RCMP officers seized 1,150 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes which represents 230,000 cigarettes worth $25,300.

The driver, a 45 year old female resident of Seventh Street East in Cornwall, Ontario was arrested and will be charged by the RCMP under Section 32(1) of the Excise Act 2001 for possession of a tobacco product not properly stamped according to the Excise Act 2001. She was released and will appear at the Cornwall court on June 9th, 2008. The truck, valued at $6,000, was also seized by the RCMP.

One half hour later, RCMP officers stopped a 1993 Chevrolet Blazer on Brookdale Avenue in Cornwall, Ontario. The officers seized 800 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes which represents 160,000 cigarettes worth $17,600. All of the cigarettes seized during the two stops are believed to be manufactured in the United States and smuggled into Canada.

The driver, a 63 year old male resident of Yates Avenue in Cornwall, Ontario, was arrested and will be charged by the RCMP under Section 32(1) of the Excise Act 2001 for possession of a tobacco product not properly stamped according to the Excise Act 2001. He was released and will appear at the Cornwall court on June 9th, 2008. The truck valued at $5,000, was also seized by the RCMP.

"What is disturbing is that both drivers were traveling with a teenaged passenger" states Sgt. Michael Harvey of the RCMP. "One third of the 105 organized crime groups involved in the illicit tobacco trade are considered violent".

SOURCE: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

SOURCE: RCMP

Sgt. Michael Harvey, Central St. Lawrence Valley, RCMP Detachment, (613) 937-2831