CORNWALL -- Members of the Cornwall Regional Task Force had a very busy holiday season.
Members of the force arrested 24 people, and executed four search warrants.
They also provided assistance to the Canada Border Service Agency Cornwall Port of Entry as well as the Ontario Provincial Police.
Several contraband tobacco seizures were made between Dec. 10 and Jan. 4.
Two were made in Cornwall, eight were made in South Glengarry and three were made at Cornwall's point of entry.
As a result of these seizures, 12 people were charged with possession of a tobacco product not properly stamped:
* A 17-year-old male, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, from Akwesasne.
* A 17-year-old woman, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, from Cornwall Island.
* Alain Farley, 28, and Ronald McHarg, 42, both from Cornwall, were also charged with failing to comply with their probation orders and conspiracy to commit an indictable offense.
* Aaron Campeau, 28, from Cornwall, was also charged with failing to comply with his probation order.
* Bower Featherstone, 71, from Cornwall.
* Christopher Fontaine, 41, from Glen Walter.
* Morgan Boots, 19, from Cornwall Island.
* Casey Leaf, 19, from Akwesasne, Ontario.
* The following three individuals, who are all from Cornwall, were also charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offense under the Criminal Code of Canada: Shane Barbe, 34, Scott Parisien, 22, and Brandon Sylvester, 37.
In addition, Parisien was also charged with failing to comply with an undertaking under the Criminal Code.
Sylvester was charged with failing to comply with an under-t aking and failing to comply with his probation order under the Criminal Code.
The seizures also resulted in the arrests of 12 other people who will be facing charges for possession of a tobacco product not properly stamped and/or the possession of drugs.
* One person from St. Leonard.
* Two people from St. Regis.
* One from Hogansburg.
* One from Woodstock.
* Two from Akwesasne.
* Four from Cornwall.
* One from Williamstown.
These people's names haven't been released because they have yet to be charged in court.
Items seized were 14 vehicles, including two snowmobiles and three pick-up trucks.
One 2005 tractor and trailer, one fork lift, two trailers, over five kilograms of marijuana, one flat-hulled boat, 44,310 reseal-able bags and cartons each containing roughly 200 contraband cigarettes, 500 cartons each containing approximately 200 contraband cigars, and $400 U.S. was also seized.
"The minimum fine is $1 million for the tractor trailer load," said Const. Jean Juneau, of the task force.
In the tractor trailer, Juneau said 31,500 cartons were found and seized. There were 200 cigarettes per carton.
"That's 6,300,000 cigarettes," said Juneau. "(The person) lost (their) truck, (their) trailer. Those are expensive right off the bat.
Crime pays? I don't think so." You can contact the task force
at 613-937-2800 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 if you have a tip.
"If the public gets involved with us, we can become more effective," said Juneau.
"We're always interested in having the public involved with us."
The CRTF is a joint forces partnership including the RCMP, CBSA, OPP, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Cornwall Community Police Service.
--With files from Melissa Di Costanzo