Law enforcement cooperation leads to $2,000,000.00 contraband cigarette seizure by the Kingston RCMP Detachment

(Kingston, Ontario - June 27, 2008) - In the early morning hours of June 27, 2008 officers from the Kingston and Cornwall Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Prescott and Brockville OPP and the Canadian Border Service Agency (CBSA) stopped a tractor trailer 401 West bound west of Highway 29 in Brockville, Ontario. The vehicle was being followed by police for suspicious activities surrounding both the vehicle and the driver.

The RCMP estimate the seizure to be approximately 1700 cases of re-sealable bags of cigarettes that are believed to be manufactured in the United States. This represents a cigarettes seizure valued at approximately $1,870,000. Under the Excise Act the driver faces a minimum fine of $2,805,000. Police believe that these cigarettes were destined to be sold illegally on the black market.

The driver, a 43 year old male from the Greater Toronto Area was arrested and will be charged by the RCMP for possession of a tobacco product not properly stamped according to the Excise Act 2001. He was released and will appear at the Brockville Court at a later date.

The RCMP also seized a tractor and trailer with an estimated value of over $50,000.00. The vehicle is registered to a trucking company in the Cornwall, Ontario area.

Further charges by the Brockville OPP are also anticipated under both the Criminal Code for impaired driving and under the Highway Traffic Act.

The investigations continues.

"Public safety and security is our main priority" states Sgt. Dan Somers of the Kingston RCMP Customs and Excise Section .