March 6, 2007
(Cornwall, Ontario) On March 4th, 2007, at 11:15 a.m., an officer from the Cornwall Community Police Service responded to a complaint of suspicious activity involving two vehicles on Third Street in Cornwall, Ontario. When the officer arrived on the scene he observed one of the vehicles alone. The officer approached the vehicle and he observed a blanket draped over something in the rear seat area. While doing his notes, the officer observed two people get into the 1997 Ford Escort and drive away. The officer pulled the vehicle over immediately and this time when he approached the driver he observed that the blanket had been pulled away and exposed boxes of contraband cigarettes. The officer arrested the driver and the passenger and contacted the Central St. Lawrence valley RCMP Detachment. Officers from the RCMP seized the contraband cigarettes and smuggling vehicle.
Located inside the vehicle were 300 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes. This represents a total of 60,000 cigarettes that were manufactured in the United States. The driver and owner of the vehicle, a 53 year old female resident of Church Road in Mountain, Ontario and her son, who was the passenger, a 36 year old male resident of Bailey Road in Winchester, Ontario were arrested 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.
Citizens are reminded to call their local law enforcement agency or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 when they do observe suspicious activities taking place in their neighbourhood. Organized Crime groups continue to use the geographic area of the St. Lawrence Valley in order to facilitate the transportation of smuggled cigarettes to be sold illegally in communities across Canada.
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Sgt. Michael Harvey
(613)937-2831
Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment