Akwesasne Mohawk Police Stop a Suspicious Van Which Leads to RCMP Seizure of 280,000 Contraband Cigarettes

July 10, 2007

(Cornwall, Ontario)  On July 7th, 2007, at 7:52 p.m., officers from the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service observed a suspicious 1998 Dodge Caravan that was travelling from Cornwall Island in Akwesasne, Ontario towards Cornwall, Ontario.  Officers stopped the van on Eleventh Street in Cornwall, Ontario. While officers were obtaining the driver’s identification, they observed cardboard boxes of contraband cigarettes in the back of the van.  An officer from the Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP detachment was contacted to attend the scene.  The RCMP officer searched the van to confirm it was loaded with contraband cigarettes and he arrested the driver and seized the cigarettes with the smuggling van.  A total of 1,400 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes were seized which represents 280,000 cigarettes that were manufactured in the United States and smuggled into Canada.  The value of the cigarettes is $30,800. 

The driver, a 29 year old male resident of Johnson Road in St-Regis, Quebec, 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 also issued tickets by the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service for the Highway Traffic offences of driving with no permit and using licence plates not authorized for the vehicle. The driver was released to appear at the Cornwall Court on August 13th, 2007. 

All cigarettes sold in Canada require packaging in English and French, and must display health warnings and a stamp (cellophane tear strip) or mark indicating that Canadian duties have been paid.  It is highly probable that cigarettes sold at significantly reduced prices are illegal.

-30-

Sgt. Michael Harvey
Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment
(613) 937-2831

Chief of Police Lewis Mitchell
Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service
(613) 575-2340