(Valleyfield, Quebec) During the evening of March 20th, 2007, officers
from the Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment-Valleyfield and
Cornwall offices as well as officers from the Quebec Provincial Police
Contraband Investigative Unit known as Project ACCESS stopped three vehicles
loaded with contraband cigarettes and arrested four people from Cornwall
and Akwesasne. The officers seized vehicles worth $29,000 and seized
1.3 million cigarettes that were manufactured in the United States.
The first investigation had officers follow a 1999 Chevrolet pick-up
truck and a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck from Cornwall Island
in Akwesasne, Ontario to Highway 20 eastbound near Les Coteaux, Quebec
where the two trucks were stopped. Located inside the first truck were
2,500 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes. Each bag contains 200
cigarettes and is equivalent to one carton. The driver, a 56 year old
female resident of Cornwall, Ontario and the passenger, a 46 year old
male resident of Cornwall, Ontario were arrested and face charges 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. Located
in the second truck were 2,900 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes.
The driver, a 54 year old resident of Akwesasne, Ontario was arrested
and also faces charges 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. This driver is the registered owner of both trucks
that were seized by the RCMP. These three people will also be charged
under Section 13.1 of the Provincial Tobacco Tax Act and a conspiracy
charge under Section 465 of the Criminal Code.
During the second investigation, officers from the Quebec Provincial
Police Contraband Investigative Unit stopped a 1998 Chevrolet Venture
van on Highway 40 eastbound near Pointe Fortune, Quebec. Located inside
the van were 1,100 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes. The driver,
a 21 year old female resident of Akwesasne, New York was arrested and
faces charges under Section 13.1 of the Provincial Tobacco Tax Act. She
also faces charges 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. The truck is registered to a male resident of Cornwall, Ontario
and was handed over to the RCMP who seized the truck as it was used to
transport illegal goods.
Money from contraband cigarettes funds organized criminal activities.
Organized crime hurts individuals in the communities we serve. That
is why detecting and deterring organized crime is one of the RCMP’s
priorities. The RCMP and the Quebec Provincial Police will continue
to disrupt the smuggling routes used by organized crime groups.
-30-
Sgt. Michael Harvey
(613)937-2831
Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment
