“Smokies Butt Out Cigarette Trafficker’s Ride”
NIPIGON – NEWS – A 71-year-old from Saskatchewan might have thought he was a smoker’s Santa as he headed east from Saskatchewan with a load of illegal cigarettes.
However, the real Santa Claus, the OPP officers from the Nipigon Detachment ended up being the anti-smoker heroes on that day.
On December 17, 2021 at approximately 4:25 PM officers from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Nipigon Detachment stopped an eastbound vehicle for a Highway Traffic Act offence on Highway 11-17, Nipigon Township.
As a result of the traffic stop, officers located and seized 11,900 cartons of unmarked cigarettes. Officers also seized a quantity of Canadian currency.
John D McCormack, age 71 of Grenfell, SK has been charged with the following offences:
- Trafficking in contraband tobacco.
- Possession of proceeds of property obtained by crime over $5000.
- Possession of unmarked cigarettes.
- Possession of unmarked cigarettes for the purpose of sale.
The accused was released and is scheduled to appear in the Nipigon Ontario Court of Justice on February 8, 2022.