Port aux Basques, N.L. — Three Avalon men are facing contraband tobacco charges following the search of a cube van by Channel-Port aux Basques RCMP on Feb. 26.
A 32-year-old St. John’s man and two men from Mount Pearl, ages 31 and 45, face charges under the Federal Excise Act, 2001 for possession of unstamped tobacco and under the Provincial Revenue Administration Act for possession of contraband tobacco.
At about 8:30 a.m., RCMP received a request for assistance from highway enforcement officers who informed a cube van had bypassed the required check-in at the weight scales.
The vehicle was stopped further down the road and was escorted back to the weight scales.
However, the occupants refused to allow highway enforcement officers to search the back of the van and were behaving in a suspicious manner.
RCMP attended the scene and conducted an investigation with assistance from Bay St. George RCMP Police Dog Services and General Investigation Section.
RCMP suspected contraband tobacco was being transported within the vehicle and obtained a search warrant.
Police searched the van and found 3,300 cartons of contraband tobacco and an undisclosed quantity of alcohol.
One carton of contraband tobacco typically sells for between $40 to $50, putting the total street value of the tobacco seized at $165,000.
The RCMP estimated this amount of tobacco would represent a loss of around $363,000 in Government of Newfoundland and Labrador revenue.
