May 7, 2007
(Valleyfield, Quebec) During the evening of May 1st, 2007, officers from the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service followed two suspicious vehicles with Quebec license plates from Cornwall Island in Akwesasne, Ontario to the parking lot of the McDonald’s Restaurant located at an exit off Highway 20 in St-Zotique, Quebec. It was at this location that officers from the Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment-Valleyfield Office and officers from the Quebec Provincial Police stopped a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox SUV and a 1998 Ford Windstar van. During the investigation, RCMP officers seized 600 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes and 1 carton of Native brand Full Flavour cigarettes from the Chevrolet Equinox. The RCMP also seized 1,250 re-sealable bags of Full Flavour cigarettes from the Ford Windstar. This represents a total of 370,200 cigarettes that were manufactured in the United States and smuggled into Canada worth $40,722.
The driver and registered owner of the Chevrolet Equinox, a 51 year old female resident of McDonald Road in Akwesasne, Quebec and the driver of the Ford Windstar, a 29 year old female resident of St-Regis, Quebec were arrested and will be charged by the RCMP 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 and a conspiracy charge under Section 465 of the Criminal Code. They will also be charged by the Quebec Provincial Police under Section 13.1 of the Provincial Tobacco Tax Act. The Ford Windstar was bearing fictitious Quebec license plates registered to a 40 year old female resident of Cornwall, Ontario. The RCMP also seized the vehicles worth $28,000.
The sale of illegal tobacco products often benefits criminal organizations. The profits are used to finance drug trafficking in Canada, purchase illegal weapons and fund other illicit activities. These activities affect the safety and security of our communities and our children.
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Sgt. Michael Harvey
(613)937-2831
Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment
Chief of Police Lewis Mitchell
Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service
(613)575-2340