Fifteen arrested in tobacco operation

Between February 16th, 2009 and February 23th, 2009, the Cornwall RCMP Detachment coordinated a High Intensity Enforcement Project in the Cornwall area to disrupt the contraband tobacco supply chain.  Resources were temporarily deployed from RCMP Detachments located in the provinces of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland to support this operation.  Officers from the Canada Border Services Agency, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, Integrated Criminal Intelligence Section, Cornwall Community Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Ontario Provincial Police Organized Crime Enforcement Team (POCET),  and the Ontario Ministry of Revenue Special Investigations Branch also participated in this operation.

Individuals and vehicles involved in contraband tobacco smuggling departing the Cornwall area towards Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa were identified and intercepted. This joint operation focused on targeting individuals who belong to various organized crime groups which facilitate the distribution of the contraband tobacco throughout Canada. The result of this operation permitted the partner law enforcement agencies to intercept nineteen different vehicles in the following regions:

12 vehicles in Cornwall, Ontario

5  vehicles in South Glengarry, Ontario

2 vehicles in South Stormont, Ontario 

These interceptions permitted the arrest of fifteen individuals (3 from Cornwall, Ontario, 3 from Akwesasne, Ontario, 1 from Ottawa, Ontario,  1 from St. Regis Quebec, 2 from Maniwaki, Quebec, 1 from Akwesasne, New York, 2 from Hogansburg, New York, 1 from Oka Quebec, and 1 from Chateauguay Quebec), who will be charged for the possession of a tobacco product not properly stamped according to the Excise Act 2001 and/or charged under authority of the Provincial Tobacco Tax Act.

Items Seized

• 19 vehicles

• 21,473 assorted resealable bags and cartons each containing 200 cigarettes

seized

 • 897 kilograms of fine cut tobacco

 • $260,000 USD from one vehicle

 The Cornwall Detachment follows the principals of intelligence led policing to attack the National Priorities of Organized Crime and Terrorism, and to enhance Border Integrity and security along the shared border.  Cornwall Detachment focuses its targeting based on criminal threat assessments of criminal organizations which are believed to be operating within the Cornwall Detachment area.

Two similar High Intensity Enforcement Projects were executed in 2008 where Customs and Excise members from the RCMP’s  Northwest and Central regions attended Cornwall with the objective of learning, understanding and executing enforcement strategies on the contraband phenomenon.