Two people in New Brunswick are facing charges after 20,044 unstamped cigarettes were seized near Fredericton.
The seizure, which took place on Jan. 27, was part of an ongoing investigation into illegal tobacco by the Department of Public Safety and the Fredericton Police Force.
A 57-year-old man from Oak Haven, N.B., and a 55-year-old woman from Bathurst, N.B., were arrested for transporting unstamped tobacco products and were released on a promise to appear in court at a later date.
According to the Department of Public Safety, the tobacco seized had a tax value of $5,115 and an additional federal tobacco excise tax value of $4,209.
The department says revenue from the sale of illegal tobacco can be funnelled into organized crime. The department also says that illegal tobacco works against government cessation programs.