RCMP seize 9.3 million illegal cigarettes near Saskatoon

One man from Ontario is facing three charges after RCMP seized millions of illegal cigarettes from his semi at the Langham weigh scale on Highway 16.

Saskatoon RCMP Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan (CTSS) and Saskatchewan Highway Patrol (SHP) conducted the checkstop on Nov. 13.

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At around 3 a.m., a semi entered the check stop and continued through without stopping, according to RCMP.

An SHP officer followed the vehicle and stopped it a few kilometres west of the check stop to escort it back.

“At the check stop, SHP officers inspected the trailer of the commercial vehicle and located 24 pallets of unstamped tobacco,” RCMP said in the release.

Officers arrested the driver and took him to the Saskatoon RCMP Detatchment.

The vehicle was seized and towed to Regina for “safe storage and further police processing.”

The Yorkton RCMP Saskatchewan Trafficking and Response Team (STRT) searched and processed the vehicle, finding 9.3 million illegal cigarettes.

The 24-year-old man is facing three charges, including possession of unstamped tobacco for the purpose of sale.

He was in court in Saskatoon on Monday.

The Saskatoon RCMP continue to investigate.