FORT McMURRAY — Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Wood Buffalo say they have seized more than 365,000 illegal cigarettes following a search of a downtown residence.
Officers with the crime reduction unit executed a court-authorized search warrant April 30 as part of an ongoing investigation. Police say one man was arrested at the scene without incident.
The seized tobacco, described as unstamped and illegal, has an estimated street value of about $75,000.
A 39-year-old Fort McMurray man is facing charges including defrauding the government and possession of illegal tobacco. He has been released on an appearance notice and is scheduled to appear in Alberta Court of Justice in Fort McMurray on June 9.
Police say the investigation is part of a broader effort to address illegal tobacco sales, which they say can be linked to organized crime.
They also warn counterfeit cigarettes may contain harmful contaminants and higher levels of toxic chemicals compared to regulated products.
The investigation is ongoing.
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