Nearly one million contraband cigarettes seized, 5 arrested in Thetford Mines, Que.
cigarettes
Five people in their 60s were arrested on Wednesday in Thetford Mines, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region south of Quebec City, during police searches that led to major seizures.
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) reports that its Contraband Investigation Service officers raided four homes and one car, seizing nearly one million contraband cigarettes. They also seized nearly $10,000 in Canadian currency and a car considered to be offence-related property.
The five people arrested were four men and one woman, aged between 60 and 67.
The police operation was part of the ACCES Tabac (Concerted Action to Counter Underground Economies) program, which aims to counter the illegal tobacco trade, promote the integrity of Quebec's tax system and restore order to the tobacco trade.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 1, 2024.
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