THUNDER BAY – NEWS – Officers with the Shabaqua Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) conducted a traffic stop on Hwy 17 in the township of Goldie, west of Thunder Bay on February 21, 2023, at 5:30 p.m.
A U-Haul van was inspected with the assistance of the Ministry of Transportation, revealing that it contained over 2 million illegal cigarettes worth approximately $875,000.
The driver, a 24-year-old from Scarborough, ON, was charged with possession and sale of unmarked cigarettes, trafficking in contraband tobacco, and obstructing a police officer, as well as several Highway Traffic Act offences.
It is illegal to possess cigarettes or fine cut tobacco without a legal tobacco stamp, and penalties include civil fines, possible jail time, or both.
For further information on the Tobacco Tax Act of Ontario, contact the Ministry of Finance at 1-866-668-8297.
