Two Nova Scotia men are facing charges after RCMP seized 85,000 contraband cigarettes in the Annapolis Valley last week.
A 41-year-old man from Middleton and a 61-year-old man from Bridgetown were arrested last Friday for possession of tobacco products not stamped in accordance with the Excise Act. They have been released pending a February court appearance. Police also seized $1,800 and two vehicles.
"One of our officers was in the Middleton area on patrol, and he noted two vehicles acting suspiciously," RCMP Const. Ken Fraser said Monday.
"We had been looking into the gentlemen involved with the file, and they were arrested inside their vehicles and, at the time of the arrest, there was a large amount of contraband tobacco."
Most people don't realize they can lose their vehicles if caught with illegal cigarettes, Fraser said.
"With persons that are involved in the sales and distribution of illegal tobacco, some people don't know that should any quantities of this be found in their personal vehicles, under the Excise Act their vehicles can be seized and forfeited, on top of the fines that they face under the Excise and Revenue acts," Fraser said.