June 21, 2007
(Cornwall, Ontario) Between the evening of June 19th, 2007 and the morning of June 20th, 2007 officers from the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service stopped two vehicles that were observed traveling on the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory. During their investigation the officers observed or suspected that the vehicles were loaded with contraband tobacco and contacted officers from the Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment. As a result, the RCMP officers seized 510,000 contraband cigarettes worth $56,100 from the two vehicles and arrested the two drivers. They also seized the smuggling vehicles. These cigarettes were manufactured in the United States and smuggled into Canada.
The first stop occurred on June 19th at 9:45 p.m., when an officer from the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service observed the driver of a 2000 Ford Windstar failing to stop at an intersection after traveling from the east end of Cornwall Island and turning northbound onto International Road in Akwesasne, Ontario. The officer stopped the van in front of the Visitor Centre on Brookdale Avenue in Cornwall, Ontario. While the officer was asking the driver for identification, she noticed the odour of fresh unburned tobacco. The driver denied having any contraband cigarettes. An RCMP officer was contacted and attended the scene. A search was conducted and the officer seized 500 cartons of DK brand cigarettes, 150 cartons of Putters brand cigarettes, 250 re-sealable bags of full flavour cigarettes and 250 re-sealable bags of light cigarettes. The driver, a 26 year old male resident of Island Road in Akwesasne, Ontario was 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. He was released to appear at the Cornwall court on August 27th, 2007. The registered owner of the van is a male who resides at the same address. The Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service also issued a ticket to the driver under authority of the Highway Traffic Act.
The second stop occurred on June 20th, 2007 at 8:00 a.m., when officers from the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service observed a 1993 Chevrolet 1500 pick-up truck that was traveling on the east end of Island Road on Cornwall Island in Akwesasne, Ontario. Further investigation revealed that the registered owner of the truck was a male resident of Southwold, Ontario. The truck was stopped near the traffic circle in Cornwall, Ontario. The driver was identified as a 43 year old male resident of Dingman Drive in London, Ontario. When asked what his purpose was to be traveling on the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory the driver said he was looking for car parts. When asked what was in the rear of the truck cab the driver admitted he had cigarettes. An officer from the RCMP was contacted and attended the scene. A search was conducted and the officer seized 1,000 cartons of DK brand cigarettes and 400 cartons of Putters Light brand cigarettes. The driver was 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. He will also be charged by the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service for trespassing under authority of the Indian Act. He was released to appear at the Cornwall court on August 2nd, 2007.
Several laws such as the Excise Act 2001, the Tobacco Tax Act and some provincial acts govern the sale or possession of tobacco products. Under these laws, whether federal or provincial, the consequences of dealing in illegal tobacco products are serious. Offenders are liable to substantial fines, confiscation of their property and a prison term of up to five years. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in partnership with other law enforcement and government agencies, is working to put a stop to this activity.
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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