Two people have been charged after Canada Border Services Agency officers, in partnership with the Cornwall Regional Task Force (CRTF) and Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, seized $330,000 worth of contraband products in Cornwall February 12.
Multiple indicators consistent with illicit activity led CBSA officers to suspect that a black pickup truck was involved in contraband smuggling. Members of the CRTF conducted a stop of the vehicle in Cornwall, where they seized the contraband products and proceeded to arrest both occupants without incident.
Kyden Jacobs, 21, of Hogansburg, New York and Sakyah Diabo,19, of Akwesasne, Ontario were arrested for unlawful possession of unstamped tobacco. They were also charged with evasion of duties, possession of illegally imported goods and smuggling. They were released and are due to appear in court March 26.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigators seized 7,160 tins of nicotine pouches with an estimated retail value of $198,815 and 945 boxes of Blackwood Cigars with an estimated retail value of $131,544. The vehicle was also seized confiscated.
“The movement of illegal tobacco across our borders threatens both community safety and the integrity of Canada’s border security system. These types of criminal activities exploit our ports of entry, contribute to organized crime and put our neighbourhoods at risk. The RCMP remains committed to working closely with our border partners to intercept these threats and safeguard the communities we serve,” says Inspector Etienne Thauvette, Officer in Charge, RCMP Cornwall Detachment.
“Border officers are the first line of defence against cross-border crime. By intercepting these contraband tobacco and nicotine products, they help stop potential proceeds from being reinvested into other criminal activity. We will continue working alongside our Cornwall Regional Task Force partners to stop bad actors and keep our communities safe,” says Joey Mackenzie, Director, Intelligence and Enforcement Operations Division, CBSA Northern Ontario Region.
Contraband tobacco refers to illegal tobacco products that are smuggled, counterfeited, or sold without appropriate taxes or health regulations. Its effects are widespread, impacting public health, public safety, government revenue and the broader economy.
Revenues from contraband tobacco often support organized crime activities, such as drug trafficking, human trafficking and firearms smuggling. Smuggling networks engage in violent activities and corruption, increasing risks to the public and law enforcement agencies.
If you have any information related to smuggling, drug importation, trafficking, or possession, or wish to report other criminality, you can contact the Ontario RCMP at 1-800-387-0020, the confidential CBSA Border Watch Line at 1-888-502-9060 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), at any time.
L’article 2 charged following seizure of $330,000 in illicit contraband est apparu en premier sur Cornwall Seaway News.
