A Brandon woman is facing charges under the Manitoba Tobacco Tax Act after tens of thousands of contraband cigarettes were found at her home.
The province seized 68,150 phony smokes – which weren’t marked for Manitoba tax purposes – and $3,760 in cash after a raid at the 37-year-old’s home.
If convicted, the province said the accused could face a triple tax penalty of $60,312.75, on top of fines and/or up to six months imprisonment.
Had the woman’s contraband been sold, the province would have lost more than $20,000 in tax revenue.
Anyone with information on contraband tobacco is asked to contact their local police departments or the Manitoba Finance Special Investigations Unit at 204-945-1137. You can also email smuggling_manitoba@rcmp.grc.gc.ca, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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