MONTREAL -- People who try to drive to Kanesatake to buy cigarettes or cannabis will be stopped and denied entry at checkpoints starting tomorrow as the community’s Emergency Response Unit works to stop COVID-19 from getting into Kanesatake.

Mohawk Council of Kanesatake Grand Chief Serge Otsi Simon said community members have noticed cars coming in from Montreal, Ontario and elsewhere to buy cigarettes even though all smoke shops were ordered to close in March.

As a result, the community’s Emergency Response Unit suggested five checkpoints at all entry points, including Highway 344 that runs through the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) community about 45 minutes north of Montreal.

“The hardware store in Oka is not the one attracting all these cars from Montreal, Laval and Ontario,” said Simon. “That’s not what’s bringing them in here. We see Ontario license plates all the time… They’re desperate to get cheap smokes.”

One community member spoke to CTV News and is concerned that those driving through Kanesatake to get to the grocery store or pharmacy in Oka will be stopped as well.

"These people come from there to here to get their stuff, and they're going to be stopped," said the community member, who did not want to be identified by name.

Simon sits as a liaison on the ERU and relays information to the community.

Orientation began Sunday for those manning the checkpoints about proper and safe protocol when asking drivers questions, instructing them to turn around if needed and other policies.

“It has to be done professionally,” said Simon.

Simon said some stores have not abided by the instruction to close, and have gone online telling customers that they are open and will deliver cigarettes or make arrangements to sell products.

Simon added that the Surete du Quebec has said it would increase its presence in the area to enforce physical distancing measures.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be adequate because last week one of our band members took it upon himself to do a checkpoint on top of the hill in Oka, and he turned away over 40 cars,” said Simon.

Some community members are concerned about how the checkpoints will function and who will man them.

“My concern is contracting the virus through these checkpoints,” said former Kanesatake police chief Tracy Cross, who served in the military for 20 years before becoming involved in Indigenous policing.

He is also concerned about whether those manning the checkpoints are properly trained.

Cross feels Simon’s heart is in the right place, but that the council should not be enacting laws without full consent of the community, and he’s confused about how the laws will be implemented.

“What are the laws and how are you going to implement them?” said Cross. “I understand he means well, but that’s my only concern. It’s okay to have laws, but how do you enforce them.”

Simon said Kanesatake’s members have been both good and bad in complying with COVID-19 measures.

“I understand the frustration and the isolation, but there are still a lot that don’t respect the social distancing,” said Simon, who has reports that there are between one to nine COVID-19 cases in Oka.