100,000 Contraband Cigarettes Seized by the Central St. Lawrence Valley Regional Task Force

Content created:2007-02-14

(Cornwall, Ontario) On February 12th, 2007, at 10:00 p.m, officers observed a 2006 Chevrolet Impala on the East end of Cornwall Island in Akwesasne, Ontario and followed the vehicle onto the Seaway International Bridge heading towards Cornwall. After further investigation, the officers activated their emergency equipment to stop the vehicle. At that moment the driver failed to stop and proceeded to return onto the bridge driving towards Cornwall Island. The marked police vehicle came into contact with the fleeing vehicle and the driver subsequently stopped. The officers asked the driver to open the doors of the vehicle and he refused. The driver was advised that he was under arrest for Criminal Code infractions relating to the driver’s refusal to stop. Officers had to break the driver side window of the vehicle to gain access to make the arrest. Officers then noticed cases of contraband tobacco in the rear passenger area of the vehicle. Officers from the Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment were contacted and attended the scene to seize the smuggling vehicle and cigarettes. The officers arrested the male driver.

Located inside the vehicle were 500 resealable bags of contraband cigarettes that originated from the United States. This seizure represents a total of 100,000 illegal cigarettes. The driver, a 22 year old male resident of Gowanda, New York was arrested and faces a charge under Section 32(1) of the Excise Act 2001 for possession of a tobacco product that was not properly stamped according to the Excise Act 2001. He will appear at the Cornwall Provincial Court on April 30th, 2007. The vehicle is registered to Hertz Rentals Canada from Etobicoke, Ontario.

“Smugglers will take measures in order to avoid arrest and police will do their best to ensure the public is safe from these actions”, states Sgt. Michael Harvey. As an intelligence-led organization, the RCMP works closely with Aboriginal, municipal, provincial, territorial and international organizations to enhance enforcement strategies. Shared information is designed to form the basis of our intelligence-led approach to policing.

- 30 -

 

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