A recent enforcement action conducted by the RCMP Federal Policing program has resulted in the seizure of 45 pallets of illicit tobacco, with an estimated retail value of over $12 million, the RCMP announced on Friday.
In addition to the estimated 67,500 cartons of cigarettes, 70 pounds of silver and $100,000 in cash were seized from various locations across the cities of Mission and Maple Ridge.
This enforcement action was the latest of two investigations conducted by RCMP Federal Policing program over the last year; bringing the combined amount of contraband cigarettes seized by federal investigators to an estimated total of 27 tonnes, with a retail value of over $24 million.
On February 28, the RCMP Clandestine Laboratories Enforcement and Response Team (CLEAR), with the assistance of other partner agencies, executed search warrants at four locations across the cities of Maple Ridge and Mission, and arrested two individuals for their alleged involvement in the trafficking of contraband tobacco. In addition to the assistance provided by investigators from Mission RCMP detachment, FSOC Financial Integrity Program, and the Pacific Region Shiprider Program, key support was also provided by the BC Ministry of Finance – Tax Fraud Investigations Unit (FIN).
The investigation by the FSOC Border Integrity Program was initially launched in the fall of 2023, which led to the discovery of several locations that were believed to be storage and distribution facilities for contraband tobacco. This enforcement action was part of a series of ongoing efforts by RCMP federal investigators in combating organized crime elements involved in the trafficking of contraband tobacco.
A similar FSOC investigation into a transnational organized crime group, suspected of trafficking of illicit tobacco was launched in the fall of 2021, leading to a number of police enforcement actions over the spring and summer of 2023. These enforcement actions resulted in the seizure of over 66,000 cartons of contraband cigarettes, with an estimated retail value of $11,925,000. This investigation was initially launched by the Nanaimo – FSOC Major Projects Team, which quickly expanded into jurisdictions across BC’s Nanaimo, Vancouver, Langley, Abbotsford and Cobble Hill; and into Edmonton, Alberta.
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 that had been a subject of joint enforcement actions by RCMP FSOC, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2020.
If you have information about illicit tobacco related offences, or other crimes, you may report it by contacting your local police agency, or anonymously calling BC Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
