Nepean Resident Arrested by Regional Task Force for Possession of Contraband Tobacco

Nov. 28, 2007

(North Stormont, Ontario) On November 27th , 2006, at 2:15 p.m., a police officer from the Ontario Provincial Police intercepted a 1994 Ford Crown Victoria on Highway 138 at Highway 417 in North Stormont, Ontario under authority of the Highway Traffic Act. Upon further investigation the officer observed boxes of contraband cigarettes and he contacted officers from the Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment to attend the scene. The RCMP officers arrived and placed the driver of the vehicle under arrest and seized the contraband cigarettes and smuggling vehicle.

Located in the trunk of the vehicle were 400 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes containing 200 cigarettes in each bag. The 50 year old male driver, a resident of Withrow Avenue in Nepean, Ontario was arrested and will be charged under Section 32(1) of the Excise Act 2001 (unlawful possession of a tobacco product that was not stamped in accordance with the provisions of the Excise Act 2001). The owner of the vehicle is a resident of Sharne Lane in Ottawa, Ontario.

Generally, illicit tobacco products on the black market do not bear proper markings (stamping). Therefore, consumers should be aware that being in possession of tobacco products that do not have proper markings (stamping) are in violation of the Excise Act and are subject to civil and/or criminal prosecution.