News Release: 300,000 illegal cigarettes seized during ministry of finance investigation
For Immediate Release
June 11, 2007
300,000 ILLEGAL CIGARETTES SEIZED DURING MINISTRY OF FINANCE INVESTIGATION
Charges Lead To More Than $139,000 In Fines
MORRISBURG – Investigators from the Ministry of Finance and an O.P.P. officer found Shawna Perry of Niagara Falls in possession of unmarked tobacco leading to charges under the Tobacco Tax Act.
Perry was convicted on May 28, 2007 of possessing unmarked cigarettes without legal authority and was ordered to pay $111,650 in fines plus $27,912 to the Ontario's Victims' Justice Fund.
In November 2006, Perry’s vehicle was detained near Morrisburg, Ontario. Further investigation revealed that her rental van contained 30 cases with 300,000 untaxed cigarettes. The charges were laid after ministry investigators confirmed that she did not hold any permits to possess or transport unmarked cigarettes.
Vigorous enforcement of the Tobacco Tax Act is an important component of the Ontario government's Smoke-Free Ontario strategy. The Government of Ontario has many enforcement measures to discourage the sale of contraband tobacco and has strengthened the Tobacco Tax Act with new inspection and seizure powers, new offence provisions, increased fines and civil penalties, and provisions that permit tax investigators to share intelligence information with police and other agencies that enforce tobacco-related laws.
In the 2007 Budget, the McGuinty government proposed to further enhance enforcement measures by temporarily suspending tobacco sales privileges of retailers who repeatedly contravene the Tobacco Tax Act or the Smoke-Free Ontario Act.
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