A 13-month long investigation by Service Nova Scotia’s compliance unit has netted more than half a million illegal cigarettes and led to the arrest of two men.
According to a news release from the province, two Sackville, N.S., men aged 47 and 37 were arrested at two traffic stops in Amherst on Thursday.
Police seized more than 651,200 cigarettes and two vehicles as part of the case.
READ: More than 100,000 illegal cigarettes seized by Nova Scotia, RCMP
The men have been charged under the Nova Scotia Revenue Act, Excise Act 2001, as well as the Criminal Code, and are scheduled to appear in court in Amherst on Dec. 27.
Various agencies, including Cumberland District RCMP, Halifax RCMP, the Sûreté du Québec Contraband Tobacco Unit and New Brunswick’s Department of Public Safety and Justice, Contraband Enforcement Unit helped with the investigation.
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The province estimates the seized tobacco has a tax value of $179,210 in provincial taxes and $136,752 in federal taxes.
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According to Service Nova Scotia, the amount of illegal tobacco in the province has decreased from 30 per cent of all tobacco consumed to less than 10 per cent since 2006-2007.
They ask anyone with information on the sale and manufacturing of illegal tobacco to call police or Crime Stoppers.