National

Mounties seize 171,000 packs of illicit cigarettes in Langford

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Jan, 2025 10:54 AM

Mounties in British Columbia say officers have seized more than $1.7 million worth of contraband tobacco after executing a search warrant at a property in Langford.

West Shore RCMP say in a news release that the warrant was granted in relation to suspected trafficking of the tobacco, and was executed by officers on Dec. 30 at a residential property on Setchfield Ave.

Police say they seized about 17,100 cartons, containing more than 171,000 packs of contraband cigarettes.

Todd Preston, superintendent in charge of West Shore RCMP, says it was the "largest seizure of illicit tobacco" by the department to date, adding that the illicit tobacco trade often uses the same "drug pipelines" set up by organized crime groups.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and no arrests or charges have yet been laid, though they anticipate charges and fines once it is complete.

The Mounties say the sale of illicit tobacco helps fund organized crime groups and has economic impact for Canada through lost tax revenue.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Man arrested for theft of logging truck

Mounties in Quesnel say they have arrested a man who was caught with a stolen logging truck, who then tried to escape on a stolen motorcycle. Police say the truck, worth 65-thousand dollars, was taken early yesterday morning.

Man arrested for theft of logging truck

B.C.'s chief vet tells clinics to set up bird flu protocols amid human exposure risk

Dr. Theresa Burns says in a letter to vets last week that reporting of sick and dead wild birds across the province has increased recently and clinics handling wild birds must have safety procedures in place and ensure staff are trained and equipped with proper protection.

B.C.'s chief vet tells clinics to set up bird flu protocols amid human exposure risk

Police in B.C. put lid on grocery store theft, but thousands in cheese still ruined

RCMP say officers interrupted a theft at a North Vancouver grocery store that involved thousands of dollars worth of cheese. They say it happened at the Whole Foods Market in the early morning hours on Sept. 29, but they still haven't been able to identify a suspect.

Police in B.C. put lid on grocery store theft, but thousands in cheese still ruined

Purolator workers won't handle Canada Post packages if strike occurs, union says

Teamsters Canada says if Canada Post workers go on strike or are locked out, its members at Purolator won't handle any packages postmarked or identified as originating from the carrier. Spokesman Christopher Monette said in an email that the Canadian Union of Postal Workers has the Teamsters' full support, and that they believe good union jobs are essential pillars of Canadian society.

Purolator workers won't handle Canada Post packages if strike occurs, union says

Ottawa names experts to advise on creation of national pharmacare program

The federal government has tapped a panel of five experts to craft the path toward a universal pharmacare program. Dr. Nav Persaud, the Canada Research Chair in health justice, will chair a committee that includes a variety of health-care professionals who are tasked with advising the government on the next steps of the program.

Ottawa names experts to advise on creation of national pharmacare program

Police cleared of fault in fatal 2023 crash in B.C.'s Interior

British Columbia's independent police watchdog has cleared officers of wrongdoing in a crash where three people were killed south of Kamloops in July of last year. A report from the Independent Investigations Office says a man was driving recklessly at a high rate of speed and was in the wrong lane on Highway 97D near Logan Lake when he hit another vehicle head-on. The man and the two occupants in the other car died.