June 14, 2007
(Valleyfield, Quebec) On June 12th, 2007, at 9:30 p.m., officers from the Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment- Valleyfield Office, as well as officers from the Cornwall Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU), Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, Valleyfield Integrated Border Enforcement Team, the Ontario Provincial Police and Canada Border Services Agency were working together on a joint forces anti-contraband tobacco smuggling operation near the Ontario-Quebec border. As a result, officers stopped five vehicles simultaneously on Highway 20 in the province of Quebec that were found to be loaded with cases of contraband tobacco. The RCMP arrested five people and seized a total of 6,200 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes representing 1,240,000 contraband cigarettes worth $136,400. These cigarettes were manufactured illegally in the United States and smuggled into Canada. The RCMP also seized five vehicles worth $75,000. The drivers all will be charged by the RCMP under authority of 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. Samples of the illegal cigarettes will be given to the Quebec Provincial Police Contraband Investigative Unit known as Project ACCESS so that they may also charge the drivers under the Provincial Tobacco Tax Act.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
The first vehicle, which was 2000 Pontiac Montana van, was stopped on Highway 20 at Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec and was driven by a 23 year old female resident of St-Jean- Baptiste Street, Valleyfield, Quebec. This van is registered to a rental agency located in Valleyfield, Quebec. Officers seized 1,150 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes from within this van.
The second vehicle, which was a 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan, was stopped on Highway 20 at Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec and was driven by a 40 year old female resident of Julien Street, Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec. This van is registered to a rental agency located in St-Constant, Quebec. Officers seized 1,350 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes from within this van.
The third vehicle, which was a 2002 Chevrolet Venture van, was stopped on Highway 20 at Dorion, Quebec and was driven by a 24 year old male resident of St-Louis Street, Valleyfield, Quebec. This van is registered to a rental agency located in Valleyfield, Quebec. Officers seized 1,050 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes from within this van.
The fourth vehicle, which was a 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan, was stopped on Highway 20 at Les Cèdres, Quebec and was driven by a 21 year old male resident of St-Jean-Baptiste Street, Valleyfield, Quebec. This van is registered to a rental agency located in Les Coteaux, Quebec. Officers seized 1,350 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes from within this van.
The fifth vehicle, which was a 2001 Ford Windstar, was stopped on Highway 20 at St-Clet, Quebec and was driven by a 37 year old male resident of Salaberry Street West, Valleyfield, Quebec. This van is registered to a rental agency located in Valleyfield, Quebec. Officers seized 1,300 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes from within this van.
The joint law enforcement agencies that make up the Central St. Lawrence Valley Regional Task Force continue to disrupt the illegal cross border activity of organized crime groups. The sale of illegal tobacco products often benefits criminal organizations that use the profits 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
Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment
(613) 937-2831