The Saskatchewan Highway Patrol (SHP) seized approximately 5.4 million illegal cigarettes after pulling over a semi-trailer truck on the Trans Canada Hwy. near Indian Head..The RCMP and SHP said the officers could see evidence the truck was carrying illegal cigarettes.. RCMP Indian Head Tobacco Seized Open Box .After pulling the truck over, the officers searched and found the illegal cigarettes..The truck and trailer had 18 pallets with 30 boxes of unstamped tobacco on each pallet..The officers seized a total of 1,356 kilograms of shisha tobacco and approximately 5.4 million cigarettes. .“This is a very significant seizure of contraband tobacco … the largest I’ve seen in my career,” said Indian Head RCMP Sgt. Ryan Case in a media release..“The sale of illegal tobacco has many effects on Saskatchewan and its residents. When you buy contraband tobacco, you have no idea how and where it is manufactured. There is no quality control like you find with legal manufacture and that presents extra risk to smokers.”.The Indian Head RCMP has taken over the investigation, which involves the SHP and the Saskatchewan ministry of Finance revenue division..Case said the government loses tax money and it reduces the revenue for businesses that sell legal cigarettes..“Also, contraband tobacco reduces revenue for business owners through legal sales, but also represents tax loss for our province,” said Case..“Lastly, the manufacture and trafficking of contraband tobacco is often tied to organized crime groups.”.Sargon Jahn and Berj Antaneek face charges under the Tobacco Tax Act, the Excise Act, and the Criminal Code..The men are charged with two counts each of selling tobacco and raw leaf tobacco, one count each of unlawful possession or sale of tobacco products, one count each of unlawfully importing tobacco into Saskatchewan, and one count each of causing another person to be in possession of unmarked tobacco..They will appear in provincial court on January 3 in Indian Head..Both men are from Hamilton, ON.
