An Ontario man is facing charges in Manitoba after he was found to be transporting contraband cigarettes.
The man was arrested Monday afternoon when he was stopped by a police officer for an equipment violation on his van, RCMP said.
The officer was patrolling the Trans-Canada Highway near Angle Road in Portage la Prairie at around 1:30 p.m. when he noticed the van was missing the rear bumper and a tie down strap was hanging out the back.
When he approached the van, the officer noticed a large quantity of cigarettes in the rear of the vehicle, RCMP said.
The driver, a 31-year-old man from Ontario who currently lives in British Columbia, was arrested under the Federal Excise Act, and the vehicle was searched.
Police seized 12 cases of contraband cigarettes, each containing 50 cartons, totaling 120,000 cigarettes. The value of the contraband cigarettes is estimated at $24,000.
The driver, whose name has not been released by police, was released on a promise to appear in provincial court on Dec. 10 in Winnipeg.
Charges are pending under the Federal Excise Act and the Provincial Manitoba Tobacco Tax Act, RCMP said. A tax penalty of $66,600 could also be assessed, RCMP added.
The investigation into the matter is continuing.
Share Tools
Latest Manitoba News Headlines
- Missing boater may have struck reef, police say
- A boater who has been missing since Tuesday may have struck a reef, police say, adding a search for the man is continuing. more »
- Crime spree ends with 46 break-in charges
- Police in Winnipeg think they have caught the person behind a string of early-morning break-ins, where a vehicle was used to smash into businesses. more »
- RCMP to close labs in Halifax, Winnipeg, Regina
- The RCMP is closing forensic laboratories in Halifax, Winnipeg and Regina and consolidating them with three others in a move the force says will lead to faster, more efficient service. more »
- Winnipeg's Union Station to get facelift
- The 100-year-old Union Station in Winnipeg is set to get a $6.5 million facelift. more »
Top News Headlines
- Attack on Syrian villages deadliest yet, activists say
- More than 90 people have been killed by regime forces in a district of central Syria, activists say, and as many as half the victims may have been children. more »
- Aylmer triple stabbing leads to first-degree murder charges
- The estranged partner of a young mother who was stabbed to death along with her parents at their home in Aylmer, Que., has been charged with first-degree murder Friday. more »
- Tornado touchdown confirmed near Montreal
- Trees were uprooted, roofs damaged and windows shattered as severe thunderstorms, and possibly a tornado, rattled through southwestern Quebec Friday night. more »
- The risks and responsibilities of taking on Mt. Everest
- The deaths of six climbers last weekend on Mt. Everest, with more summits underway this weekend, fuels the debate about the risks and responsibilities of high altitude climbing. more »
- Winnipeg WWE wrestler Chris Jericho suspended after flag incident
- Crime spree ends with 46 break-in charges
- Missing boater may have struck reef, police say
- Outhouse bear attack survivor was grabbed from 'throne'
- First-time homebuyers find frustration in Winnipeg
- Winnipeg's Union Station to get facelift
- Kelvin High School celebrates 100 years
- RCMP to close labs in Halifax, Winnipeg, Regina
- MPI asked to cover tab for officers' overtime
Teddy Bears' Picnic
