Quebec man stopped in Napanee had almost 3 million illegal cigarettes: OPP

By Sarah Law

BELLEVILLE – A 64-year-old man from Saint-Jérôme, Quebec faces charges after police pulled him over in Greater Napanee and found 2.96 million illegal cigarettes.

Around 12:45 p.m. Monday, a Napanee OPP officer stopped a westbound U-Haul truck on Highway 401, according to a news release from the detachment. While investigating the vehicle with help from the OPP’s contraband tobacco enforcement team, police found the truck was loaded with illegal cigarettes.

They seized 296 cases along with the vehicle and several thousand dollars in cash.

The man faces charges including two counts each of possession of contraband for the purpose of sale, transportation of contraband, and failing to comply with a probation order. He also faces two additional charges under Ontario’s Tobacco Tax Act. 

The Ontario Ministry of Finance is assisting the investigation.

The man has been released from custody and will appear in court in Napanee at 9 a.m. on Jan. 29.