Police have charged two Regina men after seizing over $575,000 of illegal cigarettes.
The Regina Police Service (RPS) along with other RPS investigative units, patrol, and provincial tobacco enforcement members disrupted a criminal enterprise and resulted in charges against the individuals allegedly involved.
The investigation started in early February and search warrants were carried out on an apartment residence, two storage lockers, a motor home and three vehicles. Police stated there were just over 133 cases of illegal cigarettes recovered and seized.
“The value of the estimated 1.1 million cigarettes is over $577,000,” police stated.
RPS arrested and charged 61-year-old Tim J. Looker and 44 year-old Mohammad Ramadan on March 17, 2022 with selling tobacco products and possessing/transporting/selling unstamped tobacco.
Police stated the penalty under the Tobacco Act is a fine, calculated on the total amount of illegal tobacco. In this case, the fine is estimated to be just over $648,000.
Looker and Ramadan were released on conditions and will make their first court appearance on these charges in Provincial Court on Tuesday, May 3, 2022.