Sept 8, 2007
(Valleyfield, September 8, 2006) On September 6th, 2006, members of the Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment-Valleyfield Office, the Sûrété du Québec and the Canada Border Services Agency were conducting a joint anti-smuggling operation from Cornwall to the Ontario-Québec border. During the operation the Regional Task Force netted contraband cigars and cigarettes and arrested three individuals.
The first seizure occurred at 5:30 p.m. on Highway 20 East. Officers stopped a Dodge Ram Conversion van bearing New York plates. Located inside the van were 13,986 cigars that are of various brands. The value of this seizure has yet to be determined. A 33 year old male driver and owner of the van, a resident of Akwesasne, New York was arrested and faces charges under the Excise Act 2001 as well as the Tobacco Tax Act.
Then at 9:00 p.m., officers stopped a 1992 Chrysler Town and Country vehicle on Highway 20 East at Les Coteaux, Québec. Located inside this vehicle were 600 cartons of DK brand cigarettes worth a value of $13,200. A 42 year old male driver and owner of the vehicle, a resident of 1st Avenue in Kanesetake, Québec was arrested and faces charges under the Excise Act 2001 as well as the Tobacco Tax Act for possession of a tobacco product that was not properly stamped.
Finally at 10:04 p.m., officers intercepted a Dodge Venture Van on Highway 20 East. Located inside the van were 550 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes worth a total value of $12,100. A 52 year old male driver and owner of the van, a resident of 9th Avenue in St-Lin-des-Laurentides, Québec was arrested and faces charges under the Excise Act 2001 as well as the Tobacco Tax Act for possession of a tobacco product not properly stamped.
This operation is a result of the continued effort of the Central St. Lawrence Valley Regional Task Force to disrupt the smuggling activities of the organized crime groups in this region. People who are caught smuggling are reminded that their vehicles will be seized and they will face charges under the Federal Excise Act 2001 and the Provincial Tobacco Tax Act.
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Sgt. Michael Harvey
(613) 937-2800 Ext. 293
Central St.Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment