Five Manitoba men are awaiting a July court date after a lengthy joint investigation by Brandon police and Manitoba Finance uncovered large-scale tobacco smuggling into the province.
Police said they intercepted a shipment of illegal cigarettes in the RM of Whitehead on Friday, seizing three vehicles and three trailers.
Inside the trailers, police said, were 92 cases of unmarked contraband tobacco — each case containing 10,000 cigarettes. They also seized more than 53 lbs of illicit cannabis and $25,000 in cash.
The tobacco represents more than a million dollars in lost tax revenue to the province.
The five men, all between the ages of 46-60, each face a number of criminal charges as well as charges under the Tax Administrative and Miscellaneous Taxes Act. One man, from Gilbert Plains, also faces drug charges in relation to the cannabis that was seized.
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