Mohawk police stop leads to seizure of 501 kilos of tobacco

Cornwall, Ontario - On January 23rd, 2008, at 10:40 p.m., an officer from the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service observed a suspicious 2007 Dodge Caravan traveling westbound on Island Road in Akwesasne, Ontario and then travel northbound towards Cornwall, Ontario.  The officer stopped the van on Brookdale Avenue in Cornwall.  The officer approached the driver and observed fine cut tobacco clippings on the rear bumper and that the inside of the van was filled to the top with garbage bags.  RCMP officers from the Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment- Cornwall Office were contacted and attended the scene.  The RCMP officers seized 20 garbage bags that contained 501.9 kilograms of bulk fine cut tobacco that was produced in the United States.  The tobacco was not properly packaged or stamped and is valued at $45,171. 

The driver of the van, a 53 year old male resident of Gatineau, Quebec was arrested and questioned for possession of a tobacco product not properly packaged or stamped according to the Excise Act 2001.  He was later released and the investigation continues. The Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service will issue a summons to the driver for trespassing on an Indian Reserve under authority of the Indian Act.  The van, registered to a car rental agency located in Rochester, New York, will be returned to the rental agency.

Recently, there have been many vehicle stops by police of vehicles that were transporting a large load of tobacco, which at times posed a danger to the motoring public.  Public safety is our priority and we will continue to ensure that our roadways are safe.