From: The South Peace News
Spotlight Staff
With the release of the Alberta budget only days away, the National Coalition Against Contraband Tobacco (NCACT) warned that action on the province’s illegal tobacco market must be made a priority or risk getting out of control as it has in other parts of the country.
“Contraband tobacco is a bigger problem in Canada than ever. In late March, Operation Mygale, the biggest illegal tobacco bust in North American history, took place in Canada and involved over 700 police officers. It resulted in the arrests of more than 60 people and included the seizure of close to 53,000 kg of tobacco. According to law enforcement groups, over the past 18 months the criminals involved in this bust illegally imported into Canada close to 2,300 tons of processed tobacco, which represents a total production of 4 billion cigarettes,” said Gary Grant, a 39-year veteran of the Toronto Police Service and national spokesperson for the NCACT. “This bust also included the seizure 836 of kilograms of cocaine and other drugs, making it one of the three largest seizures done in Canada in the past 25 years. Clearly this is a problem which isn’t getting better, and Alberta is not immune to it.”
