Link to Original Story

Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service Stop Two Vehicles which leads to the Seizure of 200,000 Cigarettes and 526 Kilograms of Fine Cut Tobacco by the Cornwall RCMP Detachment

CORNWALL, ON, June 26 - On June 25th, 2008, at 2:40 a.m., an officer from the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service observed a 2005 GMC Sierra pick-up truck travelling on Island Road in Akwesasne, Ontario when he noticed the driver and passenger shielding their identity. The officer stopped the truck at the Wal-Mart parking lot located on Brookdale Avenue in Cornwall, Ontario. He observed two females exit the truck and walk towards the store. The officer advised the ladies to return to their truck and when the driver opened the door the officer detected an odour of tobacco. He also observed bags of fine cut tobacco on the rear seat of the truck. An officer from the Cornwall RCMP detachment was contacted and seized 22 garbage bags which contained 526 kilograms of fine cut tobacco worth $47,340. It is believed that this tobacco originated from the United States.

The driver, a young person as defined under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, and the passenger, a 20 year old female resident of River Road in Akwesasne, New York, were arrested and were questioned for possession of a tobacco product not properly stamped according to the Excise Act 2001. They were both released and the investigation continues. The truck, valued at $17,000, was also seized by the RCMP. The driver was issued Highway Traffic Act offence tickets from the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service for fail to surrender insurance, fail to surrender permit for motor vehicle and fail to surrender licence.

Later on the same date, at 10:50 a.m., an officer from the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service stopped a 1999 Ford Expedition on Marleau Avenue in Cornwall, Ontario as a result of a trespassing on an Indian Reserve investigation. The driver had been observed travelling and stopping in Akwesasne, Ontario. When the officer approached the driver he could smell an odour of tobacco and he observed blankets covering card board boxes of cigarettes behind the driver's seat. Officers from the Cornwall RCMP detachment were contacted and seized 1,000 re-sealable bags of cigarettes which represents 200,000 cigarettes valued at $22,000. It is believed that these cigarettes were manufactured in the United States.

The driver, a 59 year old male resident of Water Street in Cornwall, Ontario was arrested and will be charged by the RCMP for possession of a tobacco product not properly stamped according to the Excise Act 2001. He was released and will appear at the Cornwall court on August 11th, 2008. The vehicle, valued at $11,800, was also seized by the RCMP. The driver will face charges from the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service for trespassing on an Indian Reserve under authority of the Indian Act.

"In Cornwall, we are part of an integrated criminal intelligence section that involves partners from Canada and the United States working together, pooling their information and jointly selecting targets," states Sgt. Michael Harvey of the RCMP. "We are seeing the benefits of this improved integrated policing."