Mounties seize 27 tonnes of illegal cigarettes in B.C. busts valued at $24M
Federal investigators have seized 27 tonnes of contraband cigarettes in British Columbia, the culmination of a year-long enforcement program targeting organized crime, the Mounties announced Friday.
The cigarettes were seized in two separate busts, netting 133,000 cartons with a total estimated retail value of $24 million, according to police.
The most recent seizure was on Feb. 28, when investigators raided four properties in Maple Ridge and Mission and seized 67,500 cartons, representing the largest one-time seizure of contraband cigarettes in the province.
Two people were arrested and police also seized 70 pounds of silver and $100,000 cash, assistant commissioner David Teboul of the RCMP's federal policing program announced in a news conference Friday alongside B.C. Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth.
The RCMP's federal serious and organized crime unit opened the investigation into contraband tobacco sales in the fall of 2023, leading to the discovery of multiple suspected storage and distribution facilities, police said.
The investigation followed seizures last year of more than 66,000 cartons of illegal cigarettes, valued at an estimated $12 million. Police say that began in Nanaimo but quickly expanded to include multiple sites in Metro Vancouver, Vancouver Island and Edmonton.
"The organized crime network involved in this contraband tobacco trafficking operation was also suspected of being linked to cross-border cocaine smuggling and money laundering activities," federal RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Arash Seyed said in a news release.
Most organized crime groups that deal in contraband tobacco also traffic narcotics, using the "same drug pipelines for their movement," Teboul added.
The seizures follow an announcement last month that B.C.'s anti-gang task force, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, had arrested four people and seized 35 pallets of contraband cigarettes during a separate investigation.
The CFSEU case involved searches of properties in Surrey, Victoria, Abbotsford and Langley, where contraband liquor, guns, drugs, eight vehicles and a speedboat were also seized.
The agency estimated the retail value of the earlier cigarette seizure at approximately $11 million.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE Gunman at large after UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot in apparent targeted attack, law enforcement official says
The CEO of UnitedHealthcare was shot and killed in midtown Manhattan Wednesday morning in an apparent targeted attack as he was about to attend the company's annual investor conference, a law enforcement official tells CNN. The gunman remains on the loose.
2 Quebec men top BOLO program's latest Top 25 list of Canada's most wanted
Two men believed to be central figures in Quebec’s violent and ongoing drug conflict topped the Bolo Program's latest Top 25 list of Canada's Most Wanted fugitives.
$80-million jackpot: 2 winning tickets sold in Canada
There are two winners of the $80 million Lotto Max jackpot, Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) has announced. The prize will be split between two tickets sold in Quebec and Alberta, respectively.
Facial recognition to board a plane: How does it work, and what are the privacy concerns?
Air Canada has launched facial recognition technology at the gate for people flying out of Vancouver International Airport - with the promise of a faster boarding process with fewer hassles.
VPD issue public warning after random sucker punch at bus stop
Vancouver police have released security video as they seek witnesses to an unprovoked assault in the downtown core.
Trump considers DeSantis for the Pentagon with Hegseth under pressure over allegations: AP sources
The nomination of Pete Hegseth, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Pentagon, is under pressure as senators who would need to confirm him weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him.
These are Canada's favourite musicians, according to Spotify Wrapped 2024
One particular artist dominated the charts in Canada, and country music exploded in popularity this year, according to Spotify.
Mexico president says Canada has a 'very serious' fentanyl problem
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is not escalating a war of words with Mexico, after the Mexican president criticized Canada's culture and its framing of border issues.
Mexican troops seize a record fentanyl haul days after Trump threatened tariffs
Mexican soldiers and marines have seized over a ton of fentanyl pills in two raids in the north, with officials calling it the biggest catch of the synthetic opioid in the country’s history.