A 25-year-old Calgary man has been charged after Saskatchewan Highway Patrol seized 8.75 million cigarettes following the inspection of a semi along Highway 1 near Swift Current earlier this summer.
According to an RCMP news release, the inspection was done on July 17 by a Saskatchewan Highway Patrol weigh station officer, who determined that the semi had a false bill of lading — a legal document that a transportation company issues to a shipper.
Officers then located about 30 pallets of unstamped tobacco in the semi’s trailer before the driver was arrested.
Investigation determined the semi was on its way to British Columbia from Ontario. Saskatchewan Highway Patrol said the 8.75 million cigarettes marks the largest tobacco seizure in its history.
The 25-year-old driver was charged with one count of selling, offering for sale, or having in his possession a tobacco product unstamped and one count of possessing, storing, transporting, or selling tobacco that is not marked in a prescribed manner.
The accused will appear in court in Swift Current on Aug. 14, RCMP said.
