A man from Indian Brook, N.S., has pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of contraband tobacco in Woodstock Provincial Court.

Cyrus Stephen Francis, 44, was in court Feb. 14.

Francis was arrested in 2008 while in Woodstock after a search of his vehicle revealed 40 cases of contraband tobacco.

He was released following his arrest, but police could not locate him to serve him with a summons. A warrant for his arrest was issued on May 13, 2008.

He was arrested in Enfield, N.S., on Feb 8 for an unrelated offence. He was taken to Fredericton, N.B., and remanded into custody.

Francis pleaded guilty to the charge this week and was fined $68,000. He must pay by Feb. 12, 2013.