June 19, 2007
(Cornwall, Ontario) On June 14th, 2007, at 4:00 p.m., an officer from the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service observed a 1997 Dodge pick-up truck being driven on Cornwall Island in Akwesasne, Ontario. Further investigation by the officer revealed that the license plate came back unattached to the truck and the officer stopped the truck on Brookdale Avenue in Cornwall, Ontario. The officer approached the driver and found that there were indications that the truck was loaded with contraband tobacco. He contacted officers from the Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP detachment who attended the scene. The RCMP members confirmed that the truck was loaded with contraband tobacco and arrested the driver and passenger. The RCMP seized the smuggling truck as well as the 1,700 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes located inside. This represents 340,000 cigarettes that were manufactured in the United States and smuggled into Canada worth $37,400.
The driver and registered owner of the Dodge pick-up truck, a 27 year old male resident of Claxton Terrace in Prescott, Ontario as well as the passenger, a 29 year old male resident of Brouseville Road in Cardinal, Ontario 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. They will also be charged by the Akwesasne Mohawk Police for trespassing on the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory. The driver also faces several charges under the Highway Traffic Act including driving with no license and not having a valid permit. Both the driver and passenger were released to appear in the Cornwall Court on July 16th, 2007.
Under the Excise Act 2001, a label or tear strip must appear on packages of cigarettes and pouches of tobacco indicating that the manufacturer has paid the relevant duties. The manufacturer’s name and address, or the manufacturer’s permit number must also appear on the package. If you purchase tobacco products that are not marked as required by law, you are in possession of illegal products. Cigarettes sold in unstamped cartons, re-sealable plastic bags or which do not display Health Canada warnings on the package are an illegal tobacco product.
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Sgt. Michael Harvey
Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment
(613) 937-2831
Chief of Police Lewis Mitchell
Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service
(613) 575-2340