Da Rez, Signal, and FACT Red cigarettes seized

Cornwall, Ontario - On February 21st, 2008, at 5:47 p.m., intelligence officers from the Canada Border Services Agency working with officers from the Central St. Lawrence Valley RCMP Detachment- Cornwall Office stopped a 2001 Dodge Ram pick-up truck on Highway 401 eastbound in Cornwall, Ontario. The driver admitted to the officers that he was transporting contraband cigarettes. The RCMP officers seized 180 cartons of “Da Rez” full flavor brand cigarettes, 30 cartons of “Da Rez” light brand cigarettes, 90 cartons of Signal light brand cigarettes, 90 cartons of Signal menthol brand cigarettes, 30 cartons of Signal full flavor brand cigarettes, 180 cartons of FACT Red brand cigarettes, 70 cartons of FACT Blue brand cigarettes and 750 re-sealable bags of contraband cigarettes that were all manufactured in the United States and smuggled into Canada.  This represents 284,000 contraband cigarettes worth $31,240 that were not properly packaged or stamped and were destined to be sold illegally. 

The driver, a 24 year old male resident of Gloucester Street in Cornwall, Ontario and who is known to police was arrested and will be charged by the RCMP under Section 32(1) of the Excise Act 2001 for possession of a tobacco product not properly stamped according to the Excise Act 2001. He was released and will appear in the Cornwall court on April 3rd, 2008. The truck, which is registered to a 37 year old female resident of Sixth Street east in Cornwall, Ontario and who is also known to police, is valued at $6,500 and was seized by the RCMP. 

The Canada Border Services Agency working with the RCMP continue to share resources and intelligence in their daily operations targeting those organized crime groups involved in the illicit tobacco trade. There is an ongoing consultation process between various ministries of the government of Canada and the RCMP concerning issues of enforcement related to contraband tobacco.